Under the Same Sun
by Tori of Lorien
Summary: After Achilles tells him to guard the ship when they arrive in Troy, Patroclus gets captured by a group of men that aren't Greek. When Paris is taken by the same group, Achilles finds himself allied with the most unlikely person to get his cousin back.
1. Chapter 1

**Under the Same Sun**

**Summary**: after Achilles tells him to guard the ship when they arrive in Troy, men that are neither on the Greek or Trojan side capture Patroclus. When the same group takes Paris, Achilles finds himself allied with the most unlikely person to get his cousin back safely.

**Disclaimer**: No one from the movie Troy is mine, but I do own the evil group of men. Well, kinda sorta anyway… Lol!

**A/N**: Hey! I've had this idea for a while, and now I'm finally getting somewhere on it. A HUGE, HUGE thank you to **HaloFin17** for getting me on track with this story!!!! Without you, Halo, this story would not be where it is today. Thank you so much! The evil men and I all thank you. Lol! Enjoy!

Chapter I

"_I can't fight the Trojans if I'm concerned for you. Guard the ship."_

That's what Achilles had said. Patroclus knew that he was ready to fight, but his cousin did not. Instead of fighting the Trojans by Achilles' side, he had been left behind to guard the ship. Why didn't he trust him? The great warrior had taught him everything he knew, so why couldn't he let him get the chance to use that knowledge?

"I _know_ I'm ready." Patroclus said to himself as he leaned against the wooden side of the boat he was guarding. His eyes ran over the Greeks as they ran toward the walls of Troy, watching as the Trojans met them in the charge. _"I should be there." _the young warrior thought, sighing as he turned away from the scene and looked out at all of the other ships that they had brought, thinking about Achilles angrily.

"Why did I have to stay behind?"

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed when he saw slight movement from the ship next to him. Wondering what it was, Patroclus leaned forward, not able to see clearly…

Then, he gasped when he saw a man appear on the deck that he didn't recognize, but he could tell by the armor that he was not Greek, or even Trojan. He anxiously looked around, and he found the spear that he had been preparing to use in the battle. Picking it up, he watched with dread as one of the servant boys that they had brought with tried to fight off the strange man, but was easily killed.

Angered by this action, Patroclus took careful aim and threw the spear, watching with grim satisfaction as it pierced the man through the neck. _"If only Achilles were here…"_ he thought as the man fell.

Then, his smile vanished when he felt the boat he was on rock slightly as he heard heavy footsteps on the wooden deck. _"Who are they?"_ Patroclus wondered to himself, pressing himself as flat as he could against the wooden side of the cabin that led below deck, watching as the men wandered around the ship, searching it for something. The young warrior knew that he would be discovered soon if he didn't do something. But he also knew that he couldn't leave the ship to get more soldiers. Achilles was expecting him to guard it…

Then, the young warrior brightened up. This would be his chance to prove himself to Achilles that he could wield a sword. If he could defeat these men before they took over the ship, then maybe next time, his cousin would let him fight the Trojans alongside him. Patroclus laid his hand lightly on the hilt of his sword and watched as the strange men came nearer to him.

"Search for the boy." one of the men ordered. "He's on here somewhere…"

As soon as he was in range, the young warrior lunged his sword out, dropping the man instantly. Then, he hid himself again on the other side of the cabin as the other men heard the noise and hurried over. But they didn't see anything or anyone who could have killed one of their men. The area was abandoned, except for their fallen comrade.

Then, Patroclus appeared behind them and took out one more before the rest of the three could react. They took out their swords, but the warrior took out two more before they had the chance to fight back. As Patroclus fought with the remaining man, he remembered his sparring lessons that he had with Achilles. He was taught never to hesitate, which he wasn't as he swung a blow at the only soldier left.

But the last man was different. He was stronger than the others, but perhaps that was because he hadn't been caught off guard like his comrades had been. The two warriors moved over the ship's deck, exchanging blows with each other as they both tried to gain the upper hand. Patroclus glanced out at the beach and noticed that the rest of the Greeks and Myrmidon were still fighting with the Trojans. He was on his own.

Suddenly, the young warrior gasped as a large arm grabbed him roughly from behind, the edge of a sword blade appearing in front of his throat as he struggled to breathe. The man who he had previously been fighting with slowly lowered his sword and put it away.

"Careful." he advised. "We had strict orders to bring him back alive."

"I'm just making sure that he's not thinking about escaping." the man who was holding onto Patroclus replied as he loosened his grip slightly. "We wouldn't want that…"

Patroclus struggled fiercely in the hands of the man that held him, but to no avail. Even though he was getting nowhere, he still continued to try.

The man that had a hold on him was getting irritated since he was trying to begin tying his hands together. "Would you stop struggling?" he demanded, forcefully pulling on his left arm as he bound the boy's hands together behind him. "It's not going to get you anywhere!"

The seventeen-year-old cried out as his arm throbbed with pain, and he looked warily over at the Trojan beach. He wondered if by some lucky chance that one of the Greek soldiers or one of the Myrmidon had heard him, but he realized that he couldn't have been heard over the loud sounds of the battle raging on…

"Let's leave a little something behind for Achilles to find." the man who had been previously fighting with Patroclus said with a grin.

Patroclus gasped when he heard his cousin's name. What did they want with him? Who were these men? The boy tried to move back a little as the man reached his arm out toward him, but he didn't have anywhere to go because of the man behind him.

The soldier then grabbed onto the seashell necklace that Patroclus always wore after Achilles had given to him and roughly and painfully yanked it off his neck. The string snapped and a few of the seashells fell off as it hit the wooden floor of the ship. Patroclus' eyes widened as he looked down on it, horrified that something he held so dear had been taken from him.

"All right. We have overstayed our welcome." the man that now seemed to be in charge muttered a little nervously. "The Greeks could be returning at any moment."

They larger man nodded and walked forward, roughly dragging his captive with him. Patroclus looked over at the Trojan beach again, watching with dread as the Greeks and Myrmidon continued to fight with the Trojans.

Then, his gaze faltered when he saw Achilles, taking a small break after he killed another man. But before he could shout out his name, the seventeen-year-old cried out as a large hand applied pressure to the base of his neck and his world went black, his cousin the last thing he saw.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles was exhausted by the time the battle had ended. He ran his hand through his long, golden hair as he walked toward the ships, hoping that Patroclus was all right with guarding the ship for so long. He found himself feeling surprised that his young cousin wasn't running to greet him yet…

The warrior looked behind him when Eudorus joined him, smiling slightly. "Are you displeased with how the battle turned out, my lord?" he asked.

"We are walking, are we not?" Achilles answered as he anxiously looked out at the ship that Patroclus was supposed to be guarding. "Though we have gained the beach, we lost against them. The word about Hector is true. His is an able warrior…"

"There is something that is distracting you, my lord?" Eudorus asked, looking at the warrior in confusion.

Achilles didn't answer, only continued to look out at the ships. Something wasn't right… Suddenly, he ran along the beach, anxiously heading toward where the ships were.

"My lord!" Eudorus shouted, running after him.

The great warrior didn't listen to him. He had to reach the ships… his cousin… Odysseus smiled when he saw Achilles coming toward him.

"What are-!" he began to ask, but stopped in confusion when he was given a dark glance.

"Check the other ships!" Achilles snapped, interrupting him as he ran onto the ship that Patroclus was supposed to be on. Sensing his friend's urgency, the king of Ithaca ran to the ship next to him.

"Patroclus!" Achilles cried, looking for his cousin. "Patroclus!"

But he got no reply. Achilles sighed in anger, not believing that his cousin had left even when he had given him specific instructions to guard the ship. What had he been thinking?

Eudorus came up onto the ship behind the warrior. "What is wrong, my lord?" the second in command asked, sensing his anger.

Achilles sighed and ran his hand through his hair again in frustration. "Patroclus has left the ship." he answered, the anger he felt showing through in his eyes. "Even when I told him to guard the ship, he broke my word and left. He-!"

"Achilles!"

The warrior looked over at the ship next to them, the one that Odysseus was on. When the king of Ithaca saw that he had his attention, he held up the limp form of one of the servant boys that they had brought along with them. He was dead.

Eudorus gasped, and he began to check the ship that they were on. Achilles looked at the Ithacan king in horror, the lifeless form of the boy driving his fear. Had Patroclus left the ship, or had something worse happened…

"My lord!"

Achilles turned in the direction of where his second in command's voice had come from, hearing that he had an anxious tone to his voice. The warrior hurried toward him, expecting the worst. He imagined the man holding his cousin's lifeless body, Patroclus' face pale against his golden hair…

But that is not what he saw.

Instead, he saw Eudorus standing near the lifeless bodies of four men. Achilles slowly walked over to them, looking at them carefully. He was shocked but angered to see that they weren't Greek soldiers. The only thing he wasn't sure of was where Patroclus was.

Then, something caught his eye; something that affected him more than the finding of the dead servant boy and the dead bodies of the four mysterious men. It was something small, but something that he knew very well.

It was the seashell necklace that he had given to his cousin that his mother had made as a gift a few years before. Patroclus never went anywhere without wearing it…

Achilles slowly knelt down next to it, picking up the broken necklace and running his fingers over it. He then picked up the loose seashells and put the entire thing into the pouch on his belt. He stayed there for a moment, staring blankly down on the wooden floor. Eudorus cautiously moved forward toward him.

"My lord?" he muttered softly.

The great warrior continued to stay that way for a moment longer, then took a deep breath and got to his feet. He made sure that his sword was tightly on his belt as he walked down the ramp of the ship and stepped onto the Trojan beach.

"Achilles, where are you going?" Odysseus shouted from the deck of the ship, still holding the form of the dead servant boy in his arms.

"To find my cousin!" Achilles replied angrily, continuing to storm through the sand. At that moment, the great warrior wasn't sure what to believe. When he had first discovered Patroclus' necklace had been broken, he had thought that he was dead. But they hadn't found his body, so something else must have happened to him…

And to find out what, he would start with old King Priam himself.

**A/N**: Well, I hoped you enjoyed chapter one! Chapter two will be up soon, since I'm almost done writing it. The action will pick up in this one, and yes, Halo, there will be Patroclus torture. Lol! I promised that I would have it up, so here it is! Thanks a bunch, Halo, for all of your genius help! Reviews are much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I still do not own the characters from the movie.

**A/N**: Yay! I'm surprised I'm getting chapter two up this soon! Thank you to **Halo** and **FastFuriousChick** for reviewing so fast. It's greatly appreciated. And Halo, thanks again for all of your help. The soldiers will now be named in this one. Lol! Thanks a lot! Enjoy!

Chapter II

The sun cast its light down on the city of Troy, making it seem like a battle had not even taken place outside of its walls. Hector, elder prince of Troy, moved through the crowded streets, replaying the battle over in his mind. Though they had defended the city, the Greeks had won the beach. They had won, but they had also lost.

Hector sighed as he entered the palace to face his father and tell him the news of the battle. His father, proud King Priam of Troy… he hoped that he hadn't let him down.

Priam smiled as he watched his eldest son approach him, and he got to his feet and gave him a warm welcome as he pulled him into his arms. "Oh, my son!" he said. "I am so pleased that you have returned safely!"

"Father, they have taken the beach." Hector told him gravely, not believing that he deserved the welcome that he had received.

"Yes, but they have not taken the city." Priam replied with a loving smile showing through in his old but clear eyes. "And that, my son, is something that you must be proud of." 

Hector did his best to give the king a smile in return, but he still couldn't shake the thought of the one warrior on the Greek side that he might actually have to fear…

"Brother!"

The prince of Troy looked up and saw that his younger brother, Paris, had entered the throne room with Helen. He smiled when he saw Hector and hurried over to him expectantly while the beautiful young woman stayed back, watching them from a distance.

"Paris." Hector addressed in greeting as his brother approached him, pulling him into a one-armed hug. "Have you stayed out of trouble while I was away?"

"Of course!" Paris replied with laughter echoing in his voice. "Don't I always?"

"Well…" Hector muttered, smiling. When he wasn't in a bright mood, Paris always seemed to find the right way to bring a smile to his face.

"How fared the battle?" Paris asked. "Did you defeat them?"

Hector sighed heavily. "In a sense, yes, we did defeat them." he answered, getting the look of confusion from his brother that he had expected. "We kept them away from the city, but they have taken the beach."

Paris looked concerned by this news. "I was planning on practicing my skills with a bow this afternoon." he muttered. "Is it still safe to do so, brother?"

"Yes." Hector told him, placing a sturdy hand on his brother's shoulder. "If you stay clear of the beach, you should be all right. Take a few guards with you anyway. There is one warrior that we have to be careful of. He easily matches my strength."

"If it is Agamemnon you dread, my son, you have nothing to fear." Priam said from where he was sitting. "It has been ages since a king has fought his own battle."

But Hector only shook his head. "It is not Agamemnon that I am concerned about, Father." he replied darkly.

Paris froze at hearing his brother's words, and Priam stared at his eldest son with dread. But before anyone could say another word, one of the palace guards rushed into the room, looking panicked.

"My lord, there is someone who demands to see you!" he panted. "He is at the front gate outside of the city walls!"

Priam slowly but elegantly rose to his feet. "Who is this man?" he asked.

"He said his name was Achilles, Sir." the guard answered. "He is one of the Myrmidon."

The old king nodded and took a step forward, but he was startled when Hector gently stopped him. "Father, please. Let me go in your stead." he urgently pleaded.

Priam looked back at him. "My son, is this the warrior that you have spoken of?" he said softly.

Hector didn't answer, but his eyes got the message across for him. Priam set his hand on the prince's shoulder and looked at the other guards that were in the room. "I want you to accompany Prince Hector to the gate. Have the archers set up on top of the wall!" he ordered. "We will have to see what this man wants."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles was standing in front of the golden gates of Troy, looking up at the guard perched above him. "I demand to see King Priam!" he shouted up at him again for what felt like the hundredth time.

The guard sighed to himself. This man was like a thorn in his side. "I have told you, Myrmidon, that you do not have the right to enter the city to see our king!" he replied for what also felt like the hundredth time. "How many times must I tell you?"

Before Achilles could answer, another soldier ran up to the guard and whispered something in his ear. The man looked surprised by what was said, but then he nodded as archers appeared along the wall, all aiming arrows in Achilles' direction. The great warrior glared up at them, but then his attention was changed to the large gate as it slowly opened. Achilles waited expectantly, but his expression darkened when he saw Hector exit the city instead.

The prince of Troy looked at the warrior angrily as he walked toward him, their eyes meeting as the gate closed heavily behind him. Six guards, all armed with both spear and sword in case they were needed, surrounded him. Hector felt the eyes of the archers on him from above, watching him as he walked toward the Myrmidon soldier. He knew that one of them was Apollo, God of the Sun himself, who was always looking out for him and giving him support when needed. The god was perched higher than the other archers so that he could watch the prince more carefully. It wouldn't have mattered much where he was positioned since Hector was the only man there who could see him. Now, Hector was greatly appreciative of his protectiveness.

Achilles watched intently as Hector stopped the guards a few feet away from him and approached alone. The prince's eyes were angry as he stopped in front of the warrior. "I do not know what madness has drawn you here, but I warn you now that you will be killed instantly if you do anything to harm me or the city."

"Do not worry. I am not here to harm you or your precious city." Achilles replied with a smirk, but he matched Hector's fierceness. "I came here to speak with your father, Prince of Troy, not you."

"Anything you wish to say to my father you may tell to me." Hector told him darkly. "You are not getting near him or my family."

Achilles nodded, almost thoughtfully. "All right, then." he said. "What do you want for him?"

Hector's expression quickly turned from anger to confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.

The Myrmidon, on the other hand, seemed to grow angrier. "You know what I mean, Prince of Troy." Achilles answered. "What do you want for my cousin? If he is alive and unharmed, I am willing to give you whatever you ask for."

"You have a cousin?" Hector said in surprise. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are speaking of…"

Crying out in frustration, Achilles quickly drew his sword and lunged at the prince. From the high Trojan walls above, the archers all readied their bows, but they did not fire any arrows since they feared that they could accidentally hit Hector. Apollo narrowed his deep blue eyes, ignoring the golden hair that was flying into his face as he carefully aimed at Achilles. The guards on the ground with the prince raised their spears and aimed at Achilles as well, hoping to get a clear shot.

But Hector was quick. He took out his sword and raised it in front of his face to block the attack as Achilles was upon him, and the sound of metal clanging against metal resounded around the area. The prince was able to hold off the attack, but Achilles wasn't giving up as he continued to try to push forward.

"What did you do with him?!" the warrior demanded.

Hector glared back at him as he held his ground. "I did not do anything to your cousin, Achilles!" he shouted back, his face inches away from the warrior's. Then, he lowered his voice so that only the Myrmidon could hear him. "I suggest you leave now before the archers have a clear shot."

But Achilles didn't stand down. He wasn't afraid of the archers or the soldiers on the ground, especially this prince. Hector _had_ to know what happened to Patroclus! He started to push forward some more, but he stopped in surprise when he felt a hand land lightly on his shoulder. He looked behind him and was met with the gray eyes of Athena. She looked at him for a long moment before she said anything.

"Stop, Achilles." she told him quietly, brushing a stray strand of her dark brown hair out of her face. "You do not even know if the Trojans have anything to do with the disappearance of your cousin."

"Do you know who has done this?" Achilles asked in a whisper.

The goddess sighed. "I am afraid that I do not." Athena answered, her gray eyes traveling to the Trojan prince. "But I do know that Hector does not know anything about it."

Achilles looked back at Hector, who could not see Athena. The prince believed that he was merely looking back out at the beach that they had taken. As the warrior looked into Hector's eyes, he could now clearly see what lay past the anger. He could now see the confusion that lay deep within…

Then, with one powerful movement, the great warrior pushed Hector's sword back away from him as he lowered his own, putting it away as the prince took a couple of steps back. Without another word, Achilles turned away from the Trojan walls and began to walk through the sand back toward the beach.

Hector watched the soldier in bewilderment for a moment, then turned back to the archers that were positioned above. "Hold your fire!" he commanded, raising his hand to support his words. "Lower your spears!" He aimed his last order to the guards that he had brought with him, and all of the men listened to his words without hesitation.

But Apollo was still cautious, even though he lowered his bow as well. He had seen who had intervened in the short struggle between Hector and Achilles, even though the prince did not, and his deep blue eyes narrowed as he watched Athena hurry away with the Myrmidon soldier.

Something wasn't right.

Xxxxxxxxx

Patroclus groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He raised his head and groggily looked around him, wondering where he was. His hands were still tied in a painful position behind his back, but he had also been bound to a rock that was jetting out of the sand on the sea's edge. He winced when he tried to move, his neck still sore from where pressure had been forcefully applied to it. His eyes closed tightly when the sharp, pointed edges of the rock behind him cut his arms a little and stabbed into his back, sending pain running through his entire upper body. His legs were beginning to cramp from kneeling on them in an uncomfortable position, his knees scratched from the rough, packed sand he was on.

Suddenly, the seventeen-year-old gasped in shock when a high wave came in and crashed up onto him, drenching him as he shivered slightly. He coughed to try to get the water out of his mouth as he tried to blink some out of his eyes.

Then, Patroclus cried out as a hand roughly grabbed onto his hair from behind and pulled his head back against the rock. "So, you think that it is a good thing to kill a man, do you?" a gruff voice demanded.

Patroclus opened his eyes and saw that the large man that had caught him on the ship was standing over him, glaring down on him angrily. He gave a short, hollow laugh as he smiled slightly. "Is that not what you are planning to do with me?" he asked, his voice barely coming out.

The man grew angry by the comment, but then he grinned. "That is what you think?" he said. "No, boy. We will not kill you… at least, not yet. You need to be alive so your cousin will come for you." He looked down thoughtfully at the boy's hair that he held in his hand. "It is so golden… just like Achilles'…"

"What do you want with him?" Patroclus demanded angrily.

This made the man even angrier. He forcefully pulled on his hair, slamming the seventeen-year-old's head into the rock again as he kicked his side with the same amount of force. Patroclus was surprised that he still held his consciousness. "Do not talk to me in that tone again, boy." he threatened, his face inches away from his captive's. "If you do…"

"Mursilis, enough. You will end up killing the boy if you continue on in that manner."

Patroclus looked over at where the voice had come from, and he saw the soldier that he had fought with on the ship. Then, he inwardly sighed with relief when the large solder let go of his hair.

"I am sorry, Telipinus." Mursilis replied, getting to his feet. "I was just showing him-!"

"I do not want to hear any excuses from you!" Telipinus interrupted in a commanding air. "Go prepare the other men…"

The seventeen-year-old's eyes widened in fear when he heard the soldier's next words, ignoring the throbbing pain in his side.

"…and bring the other captive to me."

"_Achilles!"_

xxxxxxxxxx

Paris smiled and watched with satisfaction as his arrow hit the very spot on the tree that he wanted it to. He knew that Hector would be proud of him. He was improving greatly.

But then, the young prince slowly lowered his bow as he thought about his brother. He had always thought of Hector as being a fearless warrior, with strength that was unmatchable. But when he had heard about the Myrmidon soldier and when he had seen the confrontation between his brother and the soldier, he began to fear for Hector's life. What if his brother's courage to face Achilles would be the end of him? 

The soft sound of a fallen tree branch snapping in two reached his ears, but Paris ignored it. He figured that it was one of the three guards that he had brought with him. He glanced around to make sure, though, and he saw that they were still standing at points around the small clearing in a sort of protective circle so they could be alerted of any danger. Everything was how it was supposed to be.

Suddenly, all three of the guards let out a strangled yell as sword blades appeared in front of them and slit their throats. Paris whirled around and watched in horror as they all dropped to the ground, dead. The prince backed up toward the large tree that he had been aiming at, looking wildly at the forest around him for signs of any approaching danger.

Then, he cried out in surprise when a blindfold appeared over his eyes from behind. His bow dropped out of his hands to the forest floor, and he knew no more.

**A/N**: Cliffie! Lol, sorry. I had to do that! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one! I'm actually more confident about this one than the last one. Reviews are much appreciated! And yes, Halo, there will be more Patroclus torture in the next chapter. Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: Nope, I still don't any of the characters. Except for the villains, which are mine. And **Halo's** since she helped me get their identities…

**A/N**: Yay! Thanks for all of the reviews, guys! Much thanks to **Halo**, **jimmy-barnes-13**, **Ingu**, **mychemicalromancefreak29**, **lozvamp**, and **FastFuriousChick** for the reviews! I hope you like it! Halo, I know you will. Thank you for all your help! Lol. Enjoy! 

Chapter III

"His cousin?" Priam asked as he watched his pacing son. "That is what he came here for?"

"Yes." Hector answered with a sigh. "He believes that we have taken him."

The old king shook his head. "I did not even know of this man before he came to our walls." Priam replied as he sat back down in his large chair. "Why would he think that we have taken his cousin?"

Hector's expression darkened. "Because we are the ones he is fighting against. He needs someone to blame."

Priam sighed. "Have you heard word of Paris?" he said.

The older prince looked out of the large window at the small forest that was nearby as the sun began to set over the city. "He should have returned by now." Hector muttered, turning back to look at his father. "He left soon after Achilles did. It has been a long time…"

Priam's face clearly showed the worry he was feeling, and that was enough for the prince to make a decision, besides his own worry for his younger brother.

"I will go out and search for him."

Xxxxxxxxxx

The forest grew darker around them as the sun sank lower in the deepening sky. Hector led the way down the narrow path, holding out a flaming torch to guide him. Apollo walked next to him, and the prince found himself yet again feeling relieved for the god's presence, even though he alone could see him. A half dozen guards followed behind him, prepared to defend their prince from any position if necessary. The man was tense, feeling nervous as he continued down the path, wondering what he was going to discover.

"There is something ahead."

Hector glanced in the direction of where Apollo was, and then looked back ahead of him. In the dim light of the flickering torch, he could see the faint outline of something lying on the ground on the edge of a small clearing…

One of the soldiers then stopped Hector by placing his arm in front of him. "Let us go ahead, my prince," he said, "so we can make sure that there is no danger."

Hector sighed and reluctantly handed the soldier the torch, watching as all of the soldiers then ran forward to investigate the clearing. "What do you think they will find?" he asked quietly to the god he knew was there.

"I do not know, Prince Hector." Apollo answered, looking into the forest intently. "I do not think that-!"

"Prince Hector!"

Without a second's hesitation, Hector ran forward to the clearing with Apollo close behind, hoping that they had found some sign of his brother, yet dreading it at the same time…

The prince was horrified by what he saw.

The guards that he had brought with him were standing by the dead bodies of the three soldiers that his brother had brought with him, their throats slit open. But there wasn't any sign of Paris… What had happened?

Many theories ran through Hector's mind as he slowly walked around the clearing, none of them pleasant. Then, the prince's heart nearly stopped when he saw something that sent a cold chill through his veins.

The bow that Paris always used after Hector had gotten it for him as a gift years before was lying on the forest floor near a large tree on the opposite side of the clearing. Hector moved over to it, then knelt down on the grass as he carefully picked it up, looking over it. He barely acknowledged one of his solders as the man came up behind him.

"My prince?" he whispered.

Hector continued to look down on the bow, but then he slowly raised his head. He was startled to see that a single arrow was sticking into the bark. The older prince slowly got to his feet, grabbing onto the arrow shaft and yanking it from the tree. He studied it carefully, recognizing it to truly be his brother's arrow.

Apollo came up behind him and placed his hand on the warrior's shoulder in a hopefully comforting manner. "Prince Hector," he said in a voice that he knew only the prince could hear, "I am not sure who has done this, but-!"

His sentence was cut off when Hector looked up from the arrow, his eyes blazing with unleashed fury. He said one word with such vehemence that it startled Apollo, though it was barely audible to the rest of the guards since it came out as a forced whisper.

"Achilles…"

xxxxxxxxxx

Athena sighed as she sat on a rock by the water's edge, hardly able to see her reflection against the moonlit sky. Never before had she seen Achilles as upset as he was now, but she knew that his cousin had never been missing before. The great warrior loved the young boy deeply, and it must have hurt him terribly to know that he was in danger.

"Is this some sort of sick game of yours, Athena? One man's cousin goes missing, and now you take Hector's brother, a prince of Troy?"

The Goddess of Wisdom gasped as she looked behind her, seeing that an angry Apollo was standing a few feet away. She was surprised, yet impressed. She hadn't heard him coming up behind her…

"I do not know what you are speaking of, Apollo." Athena said, slowly standing up on the rock. "I did not know that a prince of Troy was missing. If he is gone, that is not my doing."

Apollo looked at her for a long moment, then reached out his hand toward her. Athena took it, allowing him to help her to step down from the rock, taking the action as a sort of apology. She smiled slightly, the cool sand feeling refreshing against her bare feet.

"Your wisdom is great, dear Athena." Apollo replied, giving her a small smile. "How do I know that you are not trying to deceive me?"

"Because I know that the Trojans did not take Achilles' cousin." Athena told him, crossing her arms in front of her defiantly. "Since that is the case, Achilles has no reason to take the brother of Prince Hector."

"So, this is all about Achilles, is it?" Apollo asked. "Is he really what even the most fearless men speak of? Did he win the beach nearly on his own?"

"He is that and more." Athena answered with a slight laugh. "He is an able warrior. I believe that he will make a difference in this war that we are facing." The goddess sighed. "But not now. Now, he is a man stricken with grief for his lost cousin who will risk everything to return him home safely."

Apollo smirked. "That is why you favor him?" he said.

"Do not start that game with me, Apollo." Athena replied, glaring at him. "Why is it that you favor Hector over other men?"

The god shook his head. "All that aside, I fear it seems that we only have one option before us if we want to return the prince and Achilles' cousin safely. I hate to say it, but I think that we will…"

"…have to work together." Athena finished with a sigh. "I know. Normally, I wouldn't accept help from you, but I cannot help Achilles on my own." She cast her gray eyes to where the Myrmidon had set up their tents.

"I only hope that Achilles will accept your help."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles sat on the floor on top of his blanket in his tent, staring blankly down on the broken seashell necklace in his hands. He had tried to repair it, but he didn't have the same skill as his mother had. He couldn't repair it, but that was not going to stop him from trying.

Odysseus stood by the entrance of the tent, merely watching his friend. The warrior was going through a difficult time, and he hoped that merely being there would help him at least a little. He sighed. "Achilles, you have been working on trying to repair that since before the sun went down." Odysseus remarked. "Please, take a rest. I am beginning to worry about you."

The great warrior sighed and waited a moment before setting the broken necklace down. He didn't look back at the Ithacan king, but he only continued to stare down longingly on the seashells that lay before him. "You sent a troop to search for him, did you not?" he asked.

The king of Ithaca knew that this question was coming. "There are few men that we can spare, but yes. I have sent as many as I could to try to find your cousin." Odysseus answered. "Agamemnon was angered enough with the few men that I have sent. I wish I could help you more, but there is only so much I can do. I have not heard word from them, but they are trying."

"I should be out there with them." Achilles muttered, getting to his feet. "I should be searching for my cousin…"

"Hold on, Achilles." Odysseus said, holding up his hands to try to stop him. "You are thinking too rashly-!"

"Stand down, Odysseus!" Achilles shouted, interrupting him. "Do not get in my way!" 

Normally when Achilles was in a rage, the Ithacan king would have gladly stepped aside. But not this time. "No, Achilles." Odysseus replied. "You are thinking too rashly! I know that you want to help your cousin, but what help will you be to him if you do not even know where he is? If we do not get word from the solders by morning, then you man think about leaving."

Achilles looked back at him, but then he turned away and picked up the seashell necklace. "I am leaving first thing in the morning, and you will not stop me." he muttered, putting it safely away in his pouch.

Before Odysseus could reply, the flaps of the tent opened and Eudorus stepped in, looking anxious. "There is someone here to see you, my lord." he said.

The great warrior exchanged a look with Odysseus before following his second-in-command out into the night air with the Ithacan king behind him. Achilles walked through the crowd of Myrmidon who were gathered on one side of the fire they had built. He went to the front of the group, and stopped in surprise when he saw who was standing on the other side, the anger on their face reflected in the light of the dancing fire.

It was Hector. He held a sword horizontally out in front of him, one of his hands resting carefully on the blade. This action showed that his intentions were peaceful, at least for now.

Achilles' eyes narrowed as he looked at him across the fire. "What has brought you here, Prince of Troy?" he asked, seeing that he was alone.

Hector looked back at him, his head held high to show that he wasn't afraid of the Myrmidon as they gathered closer around him with their weapons drawn. "I have come to speak with you."

The great warrior glanced around at the soldiers that were making their way towards the prince. "I should have you killed for daring to intrude here." Achilles said.

But the prince didn't back down, and he didn't move his sword from the peaceful position he held it in. The men moved even closer with their swords held high, on larger soldier standing behind him and putting his sword in front of his throat. But Hector still continued to stare at Achilles, ignoring the soldiers and their weapons.

The Myrmidon leader looked back at him, a smirk growing on his face. "Tell me. Does prince blood make good fuel for a fire?" Achilles asked. "Or does it stain the ground like everyone else's when it is spilt?"

Eudorus sighed and shook his head. Why did Achilles have to be so over-confident? Hector still did not respond to the men around him or even raised his sword to defend himself. He had come for a purpose, and he was going to complete it.

"You should have stayed behind the safety of your walls, Prince of Troy." Achilles said in a whisper, surprised that Hector wasn't even flinching. He looked at the rest of the Myrmidon, his loyal men. "Do with him what you please."

The soldiers laughed as Achilles turned his back on the group, moving in closer to the prince. Odysseus watched in horror, wondering how is friend could be so cold-hearted. He hadn't even heard the prince out when he came in a peaceful manner! He was about to intervene, but Hector beat him to it.

"You have not found your cousin, have you?"

Achilles froze, then slowly turned back to the large group behind him. After a moment, he ran back over to the fire out of the shadows. "Stop! Lower your swords!" he commanded.

The Myrmidon looked slightly disappointed, but they backed away like their captain had commanded. Achilles walked around the fire and approached the prince. "Come." he muttered simply, walked past him toward the darkness away from the tents. Hector followed him, gladly leaving the other soldiers behind.

The two warriors walked along the sea's edge in silence, heading toward a small clump of trees. The light from the full moon reflected off of the water's surface, lighting their way. When he thought that they were far enough away, Achilles stopped and turned to face Hector.

"If you have done something with him, I promise you that I will spill your blood with my own hands."

"I have told you already, Achilles, I have not done anything with your cousin." Hector replied. "But I am here to ask you what you have done with my brother."

"Your brother?" Achilles asked. "I did not know that there was another prince of Troy. What are you-!" 

The great warrior suddenly stopped and his eyes widened when he saw an arrow coming at them out of the dark.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Patroclus shivered against the cool night air after another wave hit him. He coughed as he tried to get the water out of his mouth, but then he began to cough harder. His forehead burned as his coughing finally ceased, and he closed his eyes in exhaustion. He wanted to slip away, to escape from the men that held him captive, to return to his cousin's protective arms…

The seventeen-year-old slowly opened his eyes when he heard footsteps approaching, and he saw the soldier named Telipinus standing above him. He winced when the man roughly grabbed his chin and forcefully pulled his head upward so that he could look him in the eyes. "We had orders to bring you to our king alive, but we had not expected you to kill some of our men." he said. "That is punishable, boy."

Patroclus cringed as Telipinus roughly shoved his head away, then cried out when he was kicked forcefully in the side. He began to couch violently again as the feeling rose up in his chest, and his forehead burned even more. He cried out again as a thin cut appeared on his cheek from the strand of a whip, and he fought to hold back tears. It felt like the flames of Hell itself were surrounding his head, but the rest of him was so cold…

Then, he whimpered a little when the soldier roughly grabbed onto his hair and moved his head up toward him. "Do not worry." Telipinus whispered into the boy's ear. "Soon we will have our second captive, so you will not have to suffer alone. For now, this should teach you not to step out of line again." He laughed as he then pushed his head back down against the rock.

Patroclus closed his eyes, exhausted. His forehead continued to burn, and the next wave that came and splashed up against him didn't cool him down. _"No, Achilles… no…"_ he thought desperately. Then, his head dropped down to his chest as he finally lost hold of his consciousness.

**A/N**: Well, hope you liked it! I hope it was enough for you, Halo. And, no. Athena's feet are not trying to eat her. Lol! Sorry, I just had to say that, Halo! Anyway, believe it or not, expect some humor in the next chapter. Yes, humor. Thanks again for all of your reviews. I love them all! Talk to you later!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the characters from "Troy", but the villains are mine and **Halo's** since she helped me come up with them.

**A/N**: Hey, I'm back! Thanks for all of your patience. Much thanks to **Halo** for helping me with and supporting this chapter and giving me the names of Hector's family members. I know you'll like this! I love how your story's coming along. Keep up the great work! Also, a warm thanks to **jimmy-barnes-13**, **Small-Fri**, **HospitalHorror**, **Snowgurl54**, and **Shiek 2** for your wonderful reviews. Thanks for your patience, everyone! Enjoy this chapter!

**Dedication**: I dedicate this chapter to Bobby Mercer and the fluffy white poodle. You'll see what I mean at the end of this chapter. For those of you who still do not get it at that point, watch "Four Brothers". Then, you'll understand why he is the inspiration for the end of this chapter! And if not… well, just message me. Lol!

Chapter IV

Achilles acted on instinct when he saw the arrow. Not knowing why, he lunged toward Hector. "Get down!" he shouted, pushing him down to the sand.

All of the air left Hector's lungs as he forcefully hit the ground, Achilles landing in the sand beside him. The prince glared up at him, but then his eyes widened in horror when he saw the arrow fly over them harmlessly and stick firmly into one of the trees. Achilles looked up from the ground, barely able to see an outline of a man holding a bow standing not too far away before he took off.

The great warrior instantly jumped to his feet and ran up the sandy hill after the retreating figure, gaining speed as he pressed on. Hector got to his feet as well, glancing back at the arrow before he followed the Myrmidon.

Achilles was quickly pursuing the man who had fired the arrow, easily gaining on him. He grabbed onto the man's arm, roughly stopping him and shoving him to the sand. Hector came up behind him just as the Myrmidon rolled him onto his back. Both men gasped in surprise.

"That is one of Agamemnon's men." Achilles muttered.

The prince glanced at him. "No, you are wrong. That is one of my men." Hector said.

Achilles looked back at him, and they both knew what the other was thinking. Something was not right.

Both soldiers looked down, only to find that the man was desperately trying to crawl away from them. They quickly ran after him, grabbing onto his arms and pulling him roughly to his feet. The man closed his eyes in fear, terrified that the prince of Troy was on his left and the great Achilles was on his right.

"I think this might be a spy." Hector muttered with a grin. "We do not do well with spies, do we, Achilles?"

"No, we do not." Achilles agreed angrily. "What do you think, Prince of Troy? Shall we let the Myrmidon have him?"

Remembering his earlier encounter with Achilles' men, Hector nodded. That would drive fear into the heart of any man.

"Please, spare my life!" the man begged, beyond panicked. "I am merely the messenger!"

"Messenger?" Hector asked. "What message did you deliver?"

Before the man could answer him, he cried out in pain when Achilles twisted his arm in an unnatural position. "Whom do you work for?!" he shouted.

"Achilles, that is not going to solve anything…" Hector muttered.

But the great warrior ignored him. "I said, _whom_ do you work for?!" Achilles repeated, pulling on the same arm.

The man cried out again, wincing in pain. "Please…" he muttered.

"Achilles." 

The Myrmidon soldier looked behind him with Hector looking as well, and they saw two people walking toward them. One was a man with golden hair and deep blue eyes while the second was a woman with brown hair and gray eyes. Each warrior recognized one of them, but not the other.

"Athena." Achilles replied, nodding to the now embodied goddess. "What is it?"

"We found this note tied to the arrow." the golden-haired man said, walking up to Hector. "You may want to look at it."

The Trojan prince slowly took the neatly rolled paper from the god and unfurled it, looking over the neat handwriting. His eyes narrowed angrily when he finished. "One week to find them…"

"Let me see, Prince of Troy." Achilles muttered, taking the paper from him with his free hand since he was still holding onto the man's arm. He read it over, and Hector could see the burning anger in his eyes when he was finished. Only two things stood out to him…

"King Arnuwandas? Why does _he_ have my cousin?!" Achilles demanded.

"And my brother." Hector added.

Achilles glanced back at him, and then nodded in his agreement. "I do not even _know_ the man!" the warrior concluded.

The man was in another panic. "I… I cannot tell you…" he muttered. Suddenly, he cried out when Achilles forcefully twisted his arm and a loud snap echoed throughout the night air.

"Who is he?!" 

The prince inwardly cringed at the sound. What Achilles had done was not necessary. "Achilles, King Arnuwandas is the new king of the Hittite people." Hector explained. "It was only a recent change. The only thing is, I thought that they had dwindled out of existence because they had lost so much power and land."

The great warrior nodded. "I have heard of the Hittite people, but I also believed that they no longer existed." Achilles agreed. "This new king must have brought new power to the city of Hattusas. How did you know that, Prince of Troy?"

Hector smiled slightly. "My father is also a king, do not forget. He has to have knowledge of kings from other lands. Even yours."

Achilles' eyes narrowed angrily. He looked like he could say something, but stopped himself at the last minute. The, he only merely said, "He is not my king."

The prince was confused by this statement, but then he just nodded. He would perhaps ask Achilles at a different time if he could.

"I suppose you do not know where the location of Hattusas is, Prince of Troy?" Achilles muttered.

Hector shook his head. "I do not." he confirmed. "None of my father's maps show where it is. It is almost nonexistent."

"Which we thought it was." Achilles replied as he turned to the man who he was holding captive. "I will break your other arm as well if you do not tell me the location of your city." he threatened.

The man was horrified that one arm had already been broken, and he didn't want his other one to be. But he was in such a panic that he was not thinking clearly. "That way…" he said, pointing out towards the sea.

Achilles and Hector followed his gesture, but this angered the great warrior. "That is all that you are going to tell us?" he demanded, looking back at the man. But he was surprised to see that the man had fainted. The great warrior sighed and dropped him to the sand.

"Some help he is." Achilles muttered, mainly to himself. "At least I have a heading. I am going to get my cousin…"

"_We_ have a heading." Hector corrected.

Achilles looked back at him. "What do you mean _we_, Prince of Troy?" he asked. "I don't remember saying anything about going anywhere with you."

"Think about it, Achilles." Hector answered. "These men have my brother also, and I want to get him back safely. You want your cousin. If we work together, we have a better chance against the many Hittite soldiers that will be against us."

The two gods stood together, now clearly seen by every man's normally blind eye as they watched the two men dispute. "Achilles, please." Athena said. "Accept Hector's help. I have accepted Apollo's."

The great warrior looked back at her. "You two are helping each other?" he asked. "Fine. You may, but I do not want help from a prince of Troy."

"All right. Fair enough." Hector said with a slight shrug. "I was merely thinking of what would be best for my brother… and your cousin."

The words seemed to strike a nerve in Achilles, and he slowly turned to face the prince. After a moment, he sighed. "All right. I will accept your help this once." he reluctantly agreed. "But this does not change anything, Prince of Troy. Once I get my cousin back safely and you have your brother, we are back to being enemies. Agreed?"

Hector slowly nodded, saying the one word that he knew would impact him in a way that would change him for life.

"Agreed."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Patroclus winced as he continued to feel the small creature nibbling on his left ear. It was a rat that was covered everywhere with dark brown fur, except for its underside. That fur was white, which contrasted greatly with the rest of its fur. The seventeen-year-old might have even found that it was kind of cute if it wasn't chewing on his ear. Now, he just wanted to have it go away.

But the rat was not his biggest worry. His limbs were severely cramped from being kept in the same position for so long, and his back was numb from the sharp edges of the rock cutting into his skin. These ailed him, but they were still not the worst. The sun was not beginning to cast its first rays upon the Earth, and as it continued to rise, so did his fever. At that moment, Patroclus felt like he truly was in Hell, for the heat was not only in his head anymore, but it had spread though his veins to the rest of his body. It was almost unbearable.

But there was still a glimmer of hope, something that kept him from falling down too far. The seventeen-year-old kept seeing Achilles smiling at him before he pulled him gently into a loving embrace.

_Achilles_… Patroclus would give anything to see his cousin again, his kind eyes shining in the light of the sun. He would be coming for him… wouldn't he?

Then, he closed his eyes a forceful fit of coughing escaped him, causing a violent shudder to run through his body. He breathed deeply, not able to stop the tears that were forming in his eyes from falling. His entire body hurt, and he didn't know how much more he could handle…

He faintly heard the ominous sound of the footsteps that belonged to the soldiers approaching him, but he didn't look up. His strength was expunged, and he didn't feel like he could even do something as simple as opening his eyes.

"We brought you some company, boy." the deep voice that Patroclus knew belonged to Mursilis said. Then, he heard the sound of someone being thrown to the sand.

Patroclus slowly opened his eyes and saw a man that he didn't recognize lying bound near him. He wasn't much older than he was, but he was younger than Achilles. His dark, curly hair fell into his face, but it wasn't enough to hide the pale skin and the bruises it bore underneath.

"Who… are you?" the seventeen-year-old asked quietly, his voice strained as he had to force it out.

At the sound of his voice, the man quickly looked up from his bindings, surprised to see that a young boy was painfully bound to a large rock near him. He was terrified to see how pale his face was, how dim his eyes were, how ragged his breathing was…

"My name is Paris." he answered, his voice also sounding heavy under the strain from the abuse that he had received. "I am the younger brother of Hector, prince of Troy. Who are you, boy?"

Patroclus studied the young prince, now understanding the importance the man had. But he still wasn't sure why he had been taken…

Before he could answer his question, though, Mursilis walked over to where they were and knelt down in the warm sand behind the rock, taking out his sword and using the blade to cut through the ropes binding the seventeen-year-old. Patroclus sighed with relief when the pressure around him was finally released, but then he felt the twinge of annoyance of the rat still chewing on his left ear.

The large soldier noticed this too, for he glared down on the small creature. "Get away, pest." Mursilis snarled, pushing it away from Patroclus. The rat landed gracefully in the sand, but it bit Mursilis' ankle hard before it disappeared behind the rock.

Growling with pain and frustration, Mursilis forcefully kicked sand after the rat, missing it and getting the irritating grains all over his two captives instead.

Trying to take a full breath, Patroclus began to violently cough as he found he was unable to, tremors running through his beaten body. He was left shaking when it finally ceased, and he cringed under the large soldier's cold eyes.

"On your feet!" Mursilis snapped, lifting Paris up with one arm and forcefully pulling Patroclus up with the other. The seventeen-year-old cried out in pain as his cramped limbs painfully protested to the sudden movements, and he couldn't stop more tears from falling from his sea blue eyes. He could feel the prince looking at him with worry, but he ignored it.

Then, Mursilis turned to a soldier that was approaching him. "Take these two to the ship!" he commanded, roughly shoving his two captives into his arms. "Lock them up below deck and make sure they cannot escape!"

The soldier nodded and turned toward the ships, walking along the shoreline. Paris kept in pace easily, his terror rising with each step. But he noticed that the boy with them was mainly being dragged since his legs were still not working properly. Paris sighed, closing his eyes as they approached the ship with many more soldiers on it. What had he done to deserve this?

Mursilis looked behind him when he heard footsteps coming near him, and he saw Telipinus stop beside him. "Has he returned yet?" the large soldier asked.

"No." Telipinus answered heavily with an air of impatience as he looked out at the seemingly endless sand. "I am beginning to wonder if he has even been able to deliver the message. We cannot wait for long, though. We will wait until the sun sets for his return, and then we will leave for Hattusas."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles looked around his tent floor, quickly grabbing a brown traveling cloak and throwing it over his arm. Then, he picked up his sword and tied it securely around his waist, knowing that he would need it. Finally, he checked his small pouch, making sure that Patroclus' seashell necklace was still inside. It was. The great warrior knew that should be all that he would need…

He then left the tent, finding that Hector was still waiting for him in the wand with Eudorus and Odysseus. "That is all you are bringing?" the prince asked, looking at the cloak in his arms unsurely. "It doesn't seem like much…"

"It is obvious that you have not spent time in the wild before, Prince of Troy." Achilles commented, turning his attention to the Ithacan king. "Odysseus, I leave you in charge of the Myrmidon. I trust them with you."

"It will be an honor, Achilles." Odysseus replied, placing his hand on the great warrior's shoulder.

Achilles nodded and then turned to Eudorus. "I will not have you do more than you do normally just because I am not here. Do the same for Odysseus as you would for me. That is all I ask of you, old friend."

"Be careful, my lord." Eudorus replied, placing his hand on his shoulder as well. "I want my captain to return safely in one piece."

"I cannot make any promises." Achilles muttered, slight humor in his voice. But there was some truth behind his words as well. The great warrior knew that he would do anything to get Patroclus out of danger… even at the cost of his own life.

Hector watched the Greeks with mounting anxiety. "Shall we head off to the palace?" he asked.

The Myrmidon leader looked back at him. "If we must." Achilles answered, walking through the sand to join the prince. "I am telling you now that I will not be welcome in your home."

"That is all right. For your safety, Achilles, you will have to stay with me at all times." Hector replied as they began to head toward the golden walls of Troy. "I just do not want any weapons near my son, or…"

"Do not worry, Prince of Troy." Achilles interrupted with a grin. "For starters, I will not get anywhere near your son. Also, I will not steal anything of value, steal your women, or try to kill anyone. Just relax. What could happen?"

xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles stood in Hector's large bedroom, looking around at the golden walls uncomfortably. This place was much too large for his liking; he much preferred the smaller, warmer closeness of his own home. He even preferred the tents to this! He also was annoyed by all of the angry glares that he had received from the palace's inhabitants. No one could harm him since he was with Hector, but that didn't mean that they couldn't annoy him to death with all of their continuous glares.

How long did it take a man to pack? It seemed to be taking so long, but that could have been because he was anxious to reach Patroclus…

An older woman who must have been a maid was moving around the room as she cleaned up, holding a very young child in her arms. It looked like this child couldn't even walk yet, but he had a look about him that reminded Achilles of Hector. This must have been his son.

"I wish you luck on your journey, my prince." The maid said as she moved over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I am not sure if I will have a chance to see you again before you leave, for I now have to do some things for Lady Andromache. I will give her your love since she will be in the city until late this afternoon and probably will not see you. I will just leave Astyanax here with you, shall I?"

"Yes." Hector replied with a smile. "Thank you for your help and kindness."

The maid smiled and set the young boy gently down on Hector's bed and left the room, ignoring Achilles completely. Well, it wasn't as bad as getting a death-stare…

The great warrior glared after her, wondering if the real reason she had left the room was only because he had entered it. Then, he heard a sound that made him close his eyes in annoyance.

The child must not have been comfortable on the bed because he began to cry. Achilles glanced out into the spacious hall, hoping that the maid would come back if she heard the dreadful sound. But, she did not.

Hector stopped packing when he heard the sound, knowing that he wanted to be held. He got to his feet and picked up his son into his arms, holding him close to him as he slowly stopped crying. Achilles watched him, curiosity in his eyes. The child seemed to be content in Hector's caring arms. But the prince had the arms of a warrior, the arms that drove fear into the hearts of men before they were slaughtered. Achilles found himself wonder if the arms of a warrior could also be… gentle.

Hector awkwardly knelt down on the floor to continue packing, only able to use one hand since he was still holding Astyanax in his other arm. He could feel Achilles swarm uncomfortably by the door behind him, and he sighed. "Pack faster, Prince of Troy." the great warrior said, anxious to get on the road and find Patroclus.

"I cannot unless I set him down." Hector replied, looking back at him.

The Myrmidon's impatience was clear. "Well, set him down then!"

"Then he will cry." Hector told him with a grin. "I know you do not want that."

The great warrior sighed. He just could not win. "Just try." Achilles suggested, gesturing to the bed.

"All right…" Hector muttered, moving to the bed and setting Astyanax down on it. As soon as he walked away, the child began to cry again.

"I told you." Hector said, crossing his arms in front of him while Achilles cringed at the noise.

The Myrmidon leader glared at the prince. "Is there anything you can do to stop his crying?" he asked.

"Only if I hold him." Hector answered. "But then I cannot pack fast. It is up to you. Time is wasting."

Achilles growled in frustration. This was impossible! Either way, he would lose… Hector was looking at the warrior when an idea came to him. He didn't like it, but he was also anxious to find his brother. It had to be done.

"Achilles… I need you to hold Astyanax."

The great warrior looked back at the prince as if he had just been told that Agamemnon was willing to fight his own battles. "What? No! There is _no_ way that I am going to hold that child!"

"I thought you wanted to find your cousin faster." Hector muttered, knowing that his words would have some effect. "Besides, don't you want him to stop crying?"

Achilles glared at him for a moment, but then he sighed heavily in defeat. "I have never held a child before…" he warned, slowly inching over to the bed.

"It's simple. You saw how I was holding him, right?" Hector said over his son's cries, beginning to pack again but at the same time watching Achilles intently.

"Yes…" Achilles replied, looking down on the crying boy warily. Then, closing his eyes, he slowly and delicately picked him up and held him at arms length away from him. "Like this?"

"Hold him closer to you so that you can give him more support." Hector told him.

Achilles sighed again and did as he was instructed, surprised that Astyanax had stopped crying. He looked down on him, and saw with fear that the boy was smiling.

"He's… smiling at me…"

"That means that he likes you." Hector said flatly, just as surprised as the warrior as he grabbed some more things as fast as he could. _Great…_

_Great…_ Achilles thought as he looked back at the child. _Why does he have to like me?_

Suddenly, he was caught off guard when one of the boy's tiny hands went up and yanked on one of the warrior's war braids.

"Ow…" Achilles muttered as the child began to laugh.

Hector smiled to himself as he finished up his packing. _Well… maybe I _have_ taught him something after all…_

Achilles was relieved when Hector finally walked over and took Astyanax from him. "You have to deal with this every day?" he asked, shaking his head. "I have new respect for you, Prince of Troy."

The prince laughed. "Well, it is a lot of work to take care of a child." Hector answered. "Come. I will leave him in the care of Helen and then we can leave."

The Myrmidon gladly followed, merely hoping that the journey ahead of them would not be as difficult as what he had just been through.

**A/N**: I hoped you liked it! Just as a note, all of the names I've used for the villains are actual Hittite names. Thanks, **Halo**, for giving me the idea to use them. I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter and one of the story's few humor moments. Reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: Nothing from the movie is mine, but the Hittites belong to **Halo** and I.

**A/N**: Thank you to **bristos1**, **Shiek 2**, **Halo**, **HospitalHorror**, and **jimmy-barnes-13** for your reviews! I don't think I mentioned this in my last chapter, but I have to thank **Halo** for letting me use her rat. Thanks so much! It just adds so much to the story! Also, thanks for influencing me with your own story. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you. Enjoy this chapter everyone! 

Chapter V

Hector and Achilles slowly entered the throne room, and they saw that it was nearly empty. King Priam was sitting on his grand throne, and next to him sat Helen. When she saw Hector enter, the now princess of Troy got to her feet with tears in her eyes as she ran to the older prince. She let the tears fall when he pulled her gently into an embrace with his free arm.

"Please…" Helen whispered through her tears. "Please bring Paris back safely."

"I will." Hector promised her, placing his hand on top of her golden hair in a form of comfort. "But for now, I was wondering if you could do something important for me."

Helen looked up at him through her tear-filled eyes. "What can I do for you, my prince?" she asked.

He gave her a kind smile as he gently wiped some of her tears away. "Do not call me that, Helen." Hector answered. "To you, my name is merely Hector. All right?"

The woman smiled a little as she brushed some of her gold curls behind her ear. "What should I do for you, Hector?" Helen muttered.

"I was wondering if I could leave Astyanax in your care until Andromache returns to the palace." Hector told her. "He wouldn't be too much trouble for you, would he?"

"No, not at all." Helen replied, blinking her tears away as she took the young boy from him. "It would be my pleasure to watch him for you."

Astyanax, sensing her sadness, snuggled up close to Helen. Hector smiled when he saw this. "Thank you, Helen." Then, gesturing to Achilles to follow him, he walked forward to stand before his father. The great warrior nervously followed.

Priam got to his feet and walked forward when Hector bowed respectfully to him, and he pulled him into a loving embrace. "Come back to me safely, my son." he whispered to him. "Come back to me with Paris."

"I will, Father." Hector replied as they parted. "I will."

The wise, old king nodded and then turned his eyes to Achilles. The warrior stiffened a little under his gaze, but he put on a fierce mask. He feared no one, not even the high king of Troy.

"Great Achilles of the Myrmidon, I also bid you well." Priam told him, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Though you are our enemy, now you are not. Now, you are our kin who fights against a common enemy. I pray to the gods that you and your cousin return safely, thought once you set foot on our shores again, we will once again be enemies."

"Thank you for your kind words, King Priam." Achilles said. "But you not longer have to fear me in this war. Because of it, the one person that means the most to me is in danger. I do not serve Agamemnon so I cannot speak for the Greeks, but I give you my word that the Myrmidon will leave your shores upon my return."

His words stunned the king, but then he pulled the Myrmidon leader into an embrace as well. "May the gods bless you on your journey." Priam told a startled Achilles as he let go of him.

Then, he nodded to both warriors. "You have my leave."

Hector bowed again, leading they way back out of the throne room.

Xxxxxxxxxx

The man ran across the burning sand, his breathing hard. His arm throbbed with pain from when Achilles had broken it, but he ignored it. He knew that he should be thankful that he was alive after facing the wrath of the Myrmidon leader.

Soon, the ship came into sight, and he quickened his pace. The Hittite soldiers had brought only one ship since they did not need their entire army to capture two people. It was not that difficult.

He could see two soldiers standing in the sand, speaking to each other while the rest of the men prepared the ship, and he instantly recognized them to be Telipinus and Mursilis, the commanders. The man ran down the slight hill and approached them, his breathing heavy.

"Anittas, you have returned." Telipinus said. "The message as been delivered, I presume."

The messenger nodded as he breathed deeply to try to catch his breath. "Yes." Anittas replied through his gasps for air. "It has been delivered."

Mursilis' brow furrowed in concern when he saw the man's oddly angled limb. "What happened to your arm, my friend?" he asked.

"Achilles and Hector caught up with me after I fired the arrow." Anittas answered, wincing a little in pain. "This was Achilles' method to get the information out of me."

"They do know that they are supposed to come to Hattusas?" Telipinus pressed.

Anittas hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. "Yes. They know."

A grin spread across the commander's face. "Then they will be dead by the end of the week." Telipinus said. "And then, with our main threat out of the way, Troy will be ours for the taking and we will reclaim the glory that belongs to the Hittite people!"

The other commander nodded in agreement and then turned to the injured messenger. "We will get you to our best healer that we have on the ship, but we will get you better care once we reach the city." Mursilis commented. "I am afraid that we do not have as many men aboard the ship now, though, since some of them were killed."

Anittas was confused by this. "Killed?" he asked. "By who?"

"The cousin of Achilles." Telipinus answered with an air of annoyance. "We found him alone on of the Myrmidon ships, but Achilles has trained him well. He slaughtered five of our men, one from a distance away, before Mursilis and I could apprehend him."

"Our king will not be pleased to hear that." Anittas commented, wondering what the boy would be put through.

Telipinus' face darkened, but then he grinned slightly. "No he will not."

Xxxxxxxxxx

The great warrior looked into the brown horse's eyes, running one hand through its thick, black mane before turning to Hector. "This is a good horse." Achilles commented.

"One of our finest." Hector told him, taking the reins of the brown horse that he always used and running his hand through its black mane. "It is my brother's, but he is the only one that equals mine. You must be careful with him, all right?"

Achilles gave him an exasperated look. "Do you not trust me with anything, Prince of Troy?" he asked.

"Hardly." Hector answered with some humor and some truth in his voice as he mounted his horse.

The great warrior mumbled something incoherent to himself as he swiftly climbed onto Hector's brother's horse and followed the prince out of the stables. The rode through the packed streets, careful not to harm any of the citizens as they raced by. Soon, they made it to the golden gate, and Hector nodded up to the guard.

"May you be safe on your journey, my prince!" he said, giving Achilles a dark glare as he opened the gate.

The Myrmidon leader returned it as he followed Hector out of the city. "At least now I do not have to deal with the hateful stares of your people any longer." Achilles muttered.

"I am sorry that there was nothing that I could do about that." Hector replied with a slight laugh. "The most that I could have done was to keep you with me at all times so they could not harm you."

"They could not have harmed me, Prince of Troy."

The prince sighed. He was growing tired of being called that…

"We will take the horses on my ship so we can still continue to travel inland once we reach it." Achilles continued before Hector could say a word. "We cannot afford to waste any time."

"No we cannot." Hector agreed, his thoughts focused back to Paris. He would return home safely, no matter what the cost. He had promised Helen…

Soon, the beach that had been taken by the Greeks came into view, and Achilles urged his horse forward as he took the lead. Hector allowed him to without protest. They were now in the Myrmidon territory, and his safety lay in the great warrior's hands.

"Achilles!"

The Myrmidon leader reluctantly stopped his horse when he heard his name, and he watched with mounting irritation as Menelaus, brother of King Agamemnon, came nearer to them.

Hector's horse stirred uncomfortably as the king approached. The prince ran his hand through his black mane, comforting him gently as he watched Menelaus, the man who Paris had stolen Helen from…

"My brother requests your presence, Achilles." Menelaus said, looking up at the Myrmidon leader from the sand. "He said that he wants you to be present to discuss our next plan of attack on the Trojan city."

"Tell him that I do not oblige." Achilles replied. "I have more pressing matters to attend to."

The king was angered by these words. "You cannot deny his orders, Achilles!" Menelaus snapped.

Achilles looked down on him and smirked. "Well, I am. I am not afraid of him. He can do nothing to me."

Menelaus looked like he would argue, but then his gaze traveled to the great warrior's companion for the first time. "Well, look who we have here." he muttered with poison, grabbing onto Hector's arm and pulling him down from the horse. "Hector, prince of Troy. Coming out of hiding from behind your high walls, are you? Agamemnon will be pleased when I bring him you…"

Hector was caught off guard by the sudden action, and he winced when he was thrown roughly down to the sand. Then, he cried out when one of the king's feet landed on his stomach, groaning as he was held down in place by the forceful weight.

Anger flared through the great warrior's eyes as he jumped down from his horse and drew his blade, setting it in front of Menelaus' neck. "Stop. He is with me." Achilles said.

Menelaus could not hide his shock as he turned to face the Myrmidon, raising his foot off of Hector and leaving him gasping for air behind him. "With you?" he demanded. "Achilles, that is traitorous behavior! Agamemnon will have your head when he hears word of this!"

But the king never got the chance to fulfill his threat. Achilles' eyes widened in surprise and he backed up a little when the point of a sword blade suddenly pierced through Menelaus' armor. The brother of Agamemnon staggered a little as he looked at Achilles, his eyes almost pleading.

But he only got an angry glare in return. "I am leaving Troy and this war." Achilles told him. "Agamemnon is not my king, and I will not serve him. When I return with my cousin, I am leaving this all behind. This war is not mine."

Then, he watched with grim satisfaction as Menelaus' eyes froze over in terror, no longer able to see the great warrior. Hector removed his sword and watched as the body of the king fell lifelessly to the golden sand.

"I could not have him telling Agamemnon of our plans." Hector explained when Achilles looked up at him, wiping the blood from his sword before climbing back up onto his horse. "Come, we do not want to be discovered by his body."

"Do you know how much danger you will be in if Agamemnon hears word that you have slain his brother?" Achilles asked, climbing onto his horse as well.

Hector smirked at the question. "Not in any more than you would be if Agamemnon knew that you made an allegiance with me."

Achilles smiled and laughed a little, knowing that what he said was true. Then, he continued to lead the way to the Myrmidon tents.

The one thing that neither warrior noticed was that one of Agamemnon's soldiers was standing nearby and had witnessed the murder of Menelaus.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Paris winced when he landed on the hard wooden floor, the boy landing next to him. One of the soldiers walked down the couple of steps that led to the cramped area below deck, approaching their golden-haired captive and pulling him forcefully to his feet by his neck. Paris watched in horror as he slammed the youth into the wooden side of the ship, a fit of coughing escaping him.

"Our king will not be pleased that you have killed some of our soldiers, boy." the man said, tightening his grip around his neck a little. "It is tempting having the cousin of Achilles himself at my mercy, but orders are orders. We need you alive." Then, he dropped him back to the floor, kicking the prince of Troy forcefully in the side before going back up on the deck and shutting the door behind him. The loud sound of a bolt being slid into place could be heard.

Paris looked at the youth next to him in shock as he held his throbbing side. This boy was the cousin of _Achilles_?! He could not be. He looked so fragile, so small… How could he be the blood of such a powerful warrior?

"What is your name?" the prince asked, looking at the boy with concern.

The youth slowly opened his eyes, and Paris was saddened to see that there was much fear and pain buried deep in those sea blue eyes. "Pat… Patroclus…" he answered through his ragged breathing. Then, he began to cough violently again.

Though he did not know much about helping illnesses, Paris knew that he had to try to do something to settle his cough. He gently turned Patroclus onto his side and rubbed his back, hoping that this action would have some effect as he felt the youth's racing heartbeat. "Are you really the cousin of Achilles?" Paris wondered when the boy's coughing had ceased.

Patroclus merely nodded, closing his eyes as he continued to take deep breaths to try to steady it. Paris was horrified by the answer. This boy was his enemy!

But then, he sighed to himself. Patroclus was no threat to him, especially in the state that he was in. The prince knew that if they were going to survive this ordeal, they would have to set aside their differences and work together. He could only hope that he thought the same way when he recovered more…

Then, the young prince gently lifted Patroclus and leaned him against the wooden side of the boat by one of the long, narrow windows. "You need air." Paris explained when the seventeen-year-old's eyes fluttered open.

Patroclus smiled slightly as he tried to get as comfortable as he could against the hard surface. "Thank you…" he whispered weakly.

Paris smiled back and nodded, watching as the boy's eyes closed again. Then, he reached forward and placed his hand lightly on Patroclus' brow, alarmed to feel that his pale skin was dangerously hot. He knew that he would have to find a way to lower his fever…

Suddenly, Paris cried out in surprise and placed his hand on the hard wood when the ship violently lurched forward. The prince looked out of the window and watched sadly as they drifted farther away from the Trojan sand; farther away from his home. He knew with dread that they had begun their journey to Hattusas.

**A/N**: I'm trying to stick as close to the movie as possible here, so that is why I had the Myrmidon planning on leaving before the war is complete and why Hector was the one who killed Menelaus. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for your reviews! They are greatly appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: Nothing from Troy is mine, but I can dream, right? Lol!

**A/N**: Yup, I'm back with another update! Shocked you, huh? Lol! I am updating so fast because I don't know when I'll be able to update again since it is around the Fourth of July and everything. So, happy early Fourth of July to you all! Thanks for your wonderful reviews for my last chapter. I'm glad you guys are liking this to much. A shout-out to **Halo** again for allowing me to use her rat, Rizzo. Thanks a bunch, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Don't be confused, but there is a section in here where I throw in new characters. I'll explain more at the end. Thanks, and enjoy!

**Reminder**: I would like to take this time to remind you if you have not read my profile that I do not write slash stories. All love mentioned in this story is brotherly and friendship love. Thanks! 

Chapter VI

When they entered the Myrmidon camp, Achilles immediately began to search for his second-in-command. "Eudorus!" he shouted. "Eudorus!"

At the sound of his name being shouted, Eudorus rushed out of his tent and hurried over to where Achilles and Hector were. "Yes, my lord?" he asked.

"Eudorus, I want you to ready the ships while I am gone." Achilles answered while he jumped down from his horse and handed the reins to Hector. "As soon as I return with Patroclus, we are leaving Troy behind us."

"My lord, what about the war?" Eudorus said. "Are we not still fighting in it?"

Achilles was silent for a moment, but then he looked back at Hector as he led the horses toward the ships. "Let Agamemnon fight his own battle. This is not our war." Then, he followed Hector through the sand, leaving a confused Eudorus behind.

"This one, Prince of Troy." Achilles said, gesturing to his own ship and taking the reins of his horse to help the prince lead them onto the ship.

Eudorus watched them, sighing as he turned to face the Myrmidon tents. Though Achilles was the strongest warrior that he knew, he still feared for him. He seemed to be invincible, but he still had one thing that made him vulnerable yet stronger.

Patroclus. His cousin was the one thing that made Achilles strive to be the strongest warrior that he could so that he could protect the youth. He loved Patroclus more than any other worldly gift that the gods could offer; he loved him like a friend loved a friend, a brother loved a brother, a father loved a son. The boy's safety and well being came even before he considered his own. Eudorus feared for the lives of the men that had taken his cousin away.

But it was his love and care for the boy that might be his undoing. Since Achilles' first concern was for Patroclus, the great warrior often forgot about other things around him, including fighting in a battle. The boy was both a blessing and a curse.

Eudorus watched as Odysseus walked over to him through the sand, a look of worry in the king's eye. "There he goes." he muttered, watching as Achilles' ship slowly left the shore. "Do you believe that his decision to ally himself with Prince Hector of Troy was a wise decision?"

"I do not know. Only the gods can answer that." Eudorus replied with a sigh, praying that both Achilles and Patroclus would return safely. "But I do think that he may be thinking with his heart and not with his mind." 

The Ithacan king slowly nodded in silent agreement, fearing what would happen to the men who took Patroclus when Achilles arrived. But then, he sighed as well. "Eudorus, I have to meet with Agamemnon for a briefing about our next plan of attack on the Trojans." Odysseus said. "I leave you in charge of the Myrmidon until I return. How shall I involve them in my plans?"

The second-in-command shook his head. "We will no longer be fighting in this war." Eudorus told him quietly. "Upon Achilles' return, we are leaving Troy's shores. He will no longer fight since Patroclus' life is in danger, and he does not want it to happen again."

Anger could be seen on Odysseus' face. "Was this Achilles' order?" he asked.

"Yes." Eudorus answered confidently. "It was his order. But I do not wish for Agamemnon to know of this yet. He will not appreciate it."

The Ithacan king sighed as he ran his fingers over a small wooden object in his pouch. He wasn't sure his plan would work as well without Achilles…

"Very well. I will not tell him."

Xxxxxxxxxx

The queen entered the dark room, shutting the door behind her and cutting off all traces of light. She took out a long, thin match and struck it against the door like she had done countless times before, using the small flame to light a candle that she carried with her, its light showing her young, beautiful features. Then, she slipped off her sandals and walked with bare feet across the cool, marble floor to where an altar was set in the back of the room.

Puduhepa knelt down before it, using her candle to light a few sticks of incense that she placed on the altar, soon filling the small room with its enticing fumes. She closed her eyes as she breathed it in, gaining the sight to see otherworldly things that others could not.

"Please…" the queen whispered, praying to the gods that she knew were with her in the room. "Please bring our soldiers back safely."

Sitting on the altar watching the woman pray were two figures who could now only be seen by Puduhepa, one man and one woman. "We will do what we must, Queen Puduhepa." Arinna said, her voice sweet but having a burning fire in it like the sun.

The man stepped down from the altar and extended his hand out to the praying Hittite queen, his long black hair shifting a little over his shoulder. "Rise." Ishtanu told her, helping her to stand.

"Thank you." Puduhepa muttered, her eyes remaining closed since that was the only way she could see the two gods that stood before her.

"Relax, Queen." Ishtanu continued, his voice smooth but having an empty vastness to it. "Your soldiers will return safely tomorrow."

"Rest now." Arinna added, placing her hands gently on the woman's shoulders and steering her toward the door. "We will handle matters. You may rest easy now, for everything will be all right."

Without a word, Puduhepa allowed the goddess to lead her out of the room and into the lit hallway where the effects of the fumes could wear off. When she was sure that the queen would be all right, Arinna closed the door to the room and walked back over to the altar where the solar god still remained.

"I do not know why Arnuwandas has gone through all of this trouble to take Troy." Ishtanu commented, his dark eyes reflecting his annoyance. "I know that he is trying to remove his greatest obstacle, but he did not have to capture two innocent young men. If he had put his trust into us as Puduhepa does, then this power struggle would have been over long ago."

"No one is innocent in war." Arinna, the goddess of the sun, muttered as she brushed a stray strand of her golden hair out of her emerald eyes. "But you are correct. If he had trusted us, then this would have already been over. Now, because he took these two people, his greatest threat is going to be knocking on his doorstep."

Ishtanu's eyes shone with amusement. "How much of a threat can they be?" he asked. "They are mortal men!"

"I would not laugh if I were you." Arinna answered darkly. "One of them is Prince Hector of Troy himself. Word is that he is the strongest warrior of the Trojans, and maybe even the Greeks. It is also said that a god favors him.

"But it is the other that I fear most. His name is Achilles, and he is a soldier from Greece. I have heard that he is the son of a goddess, strong and invulnerable. Word is that he is the only one to match Hector's strength. It is said that he also has the blessings of a god as Prince Hector does. The soldiers here do not stand a chance."

"One man from each side." Ishtanu muttered thoughtfully. "I thought that the Greeks and the Trojans were fighting each other in war and that is why Arnuwandas chose now to make his move."

"They are." Arinna replied with a shrug. "But these two men have made an alliance with each other for a common purpose… to fight against us."

Ishtanu still did not seem worried. "If these men are as powerful as you claim, then we may need to take on a physical body if we want to help Arnuwandas and protect the people of Hattusas."

Arinna grinned. "Then, we can distract the threat in any way that we can."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Everyone who had gathered for the meeting could tell that Agamemnon was pleased with the way that the battle had turned out as he looked into the face of every man present. But along with that content smile, every man could see the burning flame in his eyes that showed that he expected more…

"We have taken the beach, but we cannot stop there." Agamemnon addressed to the small group of captains and leaders that he had assembled. "Now, we must move forward and take the city. If we take the city, we will be victorious."

He stopped his speech when he noticed that both Achilles and Menelaus still had not arrived. Agamemnon knew that it was not like them to be late…

But before he could comment on this strange occurrence, the flaps to the tent opened and a soldier rushed in, looking terrified. "King Agamemnon, your brother has been slain!" he exclaimed.

The entire tent was filled with such an uncomfortable silence that every man feared to break it. Odysseus felt anxiety rise within him. _"Achilles… what have you done?"_ he thought fearfully.

Grief crossed Agamemnon's face as he thought of Menelaus, his brother. But it only lingered for a moment, for it was soon replaced with a fierce, determined mask. "Who?" he asked softly, his voice filled with venom. "Who has murdered Menelaus?"

"Prince Hector of Troy, Sir." the soldier answered, trembling a little under the king's intensity. "But… but Achilles was with him…"

The Greek king could not hide his shock. "Achilles? With Prince Hector?" Agamemnon demanded. "What was he doing with Hector?!"

"I do not know, my king!" the soldier muttered, his voice shaking. "He said something about finding his cousin and leaving Troy. He also said that you were not his king-!"

His sentence was cut off when Agamemnon furiously got to his feet, knocking over the wooden table that he had been sitting behind. "A boy? He is leaving the war for a _boy_ that is not even fighting?!" the king shouted. Then, his breathing heavy, he turned to the rest of the troop leaders that he had assembled. "I will deal with the great Achilles later myself!" Agamemnon told them. "For not, let us think about this prince of Troy. I will not rest until Hector lies dead at my feet before King Priam, his blood stained on my blade! We attack tonight!"

Most of the people assembled threw up cheers of agreement, encouraged by Agamemnon's emotion. The Ithacan king, however, was not.

"_I have to stall him."_ Odysseus thought anxiously, feeling the small wooden object in his pouch. _"I have to stall him until Achilles returns. Then maybe we can settle Agamemnon down a little. I was not going to share this now, but it looks like I might have to."_

As the cheering ceased, the king of Ithaca sighed and got to his feet. "Odysseus?" Agamemnon muttered in surprise. "There is something that you would like to say?"

Hiding a sigh, Odysseus nodded and walked forward to stand before Agamemnon. "If I may be so bold," he said with a smile, "I would like to propose an idea; an idea that will take some time to formulate but will be worth it in the end. It may just save the war for us."

"Oh?" Agamemnon asked, his interest caught. "And just what is this ingenious plan of yours?"

"I was hoping that you would ask." Odysseus answered, his eyes shining with excitement. "With or without Prince Hector guarding their city, it will be impossible to breach their walls… impossible unless we slip past their gates. And here is how we do that."

The Ithacan king reached inside his pouch and pulled out the small statue that he had created. The entire tent waited tensely.

Agamemnon, however, was not impressed. "A horse?" he muttered in disbelief. "You present me with a _horse_?"

"My lord, Agamemnon," Odysseus said with a slight laugh as he held up the small horse. "It is clear that you do not know what a wooden horse can do."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Hector sighed as he leaned against the wooden side of the ship, looking out at the seemingly endless sea. The high noon sun was reflecting beautifully off of its surface, but that was not what was on his mind. He could not stop thinking of his brother.

"_Paris… I'm coming."_

The prince was relieved that Apollo and Athena had taken over controlling the ship since he and Achilles had pushed themselves all morning to get as far as they had gotten. It felt wonderful to rest, even if it was just for a little while.

Hector glanced behind him and saw that Achilles was sitting on the wooden deck of the ship with a few loose seashells set around him as he held a strand of them in his hands. "What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

The Myrmidon leader looked up irritably when he heard the question. "It is my cousins' necklace." Achilles answered as he looked back down at the strand of seashells in his hands. "It was broken when Patroclus was captured, and I am trying to repair it."

The prince shook his head skeptically as he watched the great warrior struggle. "You will not be able to repair it." Hector muttered. "Your fingers are too large."

"Stay out of this, Prince of Troy." Achilles replied angrily, his eyes narrowing as he concentrated on getting one of the seashells back onto the strand. "I will repair it."

Hector sighed and ran his hand through his dark curls as he turned back to face the sea. He knew that this was going to be a long voyage.

Xxxxxxxxxx

When the moon rose into the dark sky and cast its soft rays down on the calm sea, Apollo and Athena continued to steer the ship so that the two men could sleep.

But neither warrior was tired. Hector walked up from below deck and saw that Achilles was standing by the wooden side of the ship, blankly looking out at the vast sea. The great warrior was wrapped in the dark brown cloak that he had brought with him, and he didn't look up when the prince joined him.

"Well, our first day is done." Hector muttered, looking out at the moon that hung above them and guided their way. "Now we have six more suns to find them…"

The Myrmidon looked over at him and smiled. "I cannot believe that I survived an entire day on a ship with you." Achilles commented with a laugh.

The prince shook his head a little as he laughed along with him. "We are in this together now, Achilles." Hector replied quietly, almost thoughtfully. "We are in this together until we get the people we care about back."

Achilles looked down at the cloak that he was wearing and then looked at the navy one that Hector was wearing before he looked back down on his own. "What are you doing, Achilles?" the prince asked.

"Would you like to switch cloaks?" Achilles wondered, holding up the one that was around his shoulders.

Hector laughed a little as he unfastened the one from around his shoulders. "Did you not hear a word I just said?" he muttered, handing the great warrior his navy cloak while he took Achilles' darker brown one.

"I heard you." Achilles replied with a smile as he looked down on his new cloak. "I have just already reluctantly agreed to it."

Then, he walked over to the front of the boat, leaving a confused Hector behind.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Paris looked anxiously down on Patroclus, being able to tell that his face had grown even paler in the dim lighting from the moon. The great warrior's young cousin had fallen asleep, but it was a pained sleep. He was often aroused by a fit of violent coughing, and then he fell back asleep from exhaustion. His fever had only worsened over the course of the day, and the young prince wasn't sure what he could do for it.

Patroclus shifted a little on the wooden floor, curling up underneath his thin blanket as a cold chill ran through his veins. Paris noticed this action and quickly picked up his blanket and laid it on top of him, hoping that it would help warm him a little. He placed his hand gently on the youth's brow, disheartened that it was still so hot…

Then, the young prince heard the quiet sound of squeaking, and he watched in wonder as a small rat came running out of the shadows and over to Patroclus. He watched as it climbed up the strands of the youth's hair using its tiny claws and went to his left ear, beginning to nibble on it.

"Get away from him!" Paris said sharply, brushing the rodent away. He had recognized the rat's dark brown fur and white underside, but he wasn't sure how it had been able to follow them onto the ship as it landed gracefully and disappeared into the shadows.

Hearing the loud sound of his voice, Patroclus stirred a little and turned away from the prince to try to get away from where the noise had come from. "Achilles…" he whispered as his breath quickened, and the Paris realized that he must be seeing his cousin in his dreams. "Achilles…"

Paris sighed and placed his hand on the youth's shoulder to try to calm him as he rubbed his own tired eyes. He knew that this was going to be a long night.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"There is land ahead!"

Hector quickly opened his eyes, realizing that he must have fallen asleep as he sat on the wooden deck. Judging by the sun's position in the clear sky above, it was around mid-morning. He got to his feet and rushed to the front of the boat where Achilles was standing tensely, able to see the shore line in the sun's light. The prince was surprised that it had only taken them one night to reach the Hittite land.

But as they drew neared, Achilles stiffened with dread when he recognized the deep blue water, the rock cliffs forming around them, the grass that lay beyond…

"I believe that we have went the wrong direction, Prince of Troy." 

For Achilles knew that they had just arrived in Greece.

**A/N**: I hoped you liked it! Your reviews are much appreciated. The two gods that I mentioned earlier in the chapter are actual Hittite gods, Arinna being the goddess of the son and Ishtanu being a solar god. I just thought that it would make the story much more interesting if I added them in. Thanks for reading, and I'll talk to you all later!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: Do I need one? Nothing from "Troy" is mine, the Hittite gods belong to the ancient Hittite people, and the Hittite villains belong to Halo and me.

**A/N**: Hey! I'm back! Omg, I just had the weirdest experience of my life! I was taking the bus home from my summer gym thingy and ended up downtown like I was supposed to so I could transfer onto the bus to get me home. Well, I couldn't find my bus, and the next thing I knew, they all left. I was freaking out because now I was stranded downtown without any money to call my mom or pay for the next bus ride, and my transfer to the next bus would have expired within the hour. I thought it was going to be a half hour wait, but it turned out that it was actually going to be an hour wait! I had no idea what to do!!!!! Luckily, the guy who ran the Transit system was nice enough to call my mom on the phone inside the building where the cable cars and what not were kept that wasn't open to the public, but I still had to wait there for the hour because we can't drive our car until my friend's dad looks at it and all of my other relatives were working. I thought that it was going to be the most boring hour of my life, but I knew it was better than waiting outside in the heat. But I was wrong… way wrong. I actually had fun! The guy there was one of the nicest that I've ever met, and I actually learned a lot about the history of our town. The hour went by fast, and then I went home. I'm lucky to be updating today! Lol. Okay, onto the A/N… Thanks to all of you for your wonderful reviews! Welcome back to **HospitalHorror**. I hope you had a great time! Thanks to **Halo **for help with this chapter (and making me change the way I hold my pencil… I _still_ do that! Thanks a lot… lol!). I hope this chapter makes sense! There is going to be a Patroclus dream sequence in it, which will be in italics. I just hope that it shows up… If it doesn't, well then just blame the computer that hates me. Enjoy!

Chapter VII

"We must have been misled." Hector muttered to himself as he watched them near the land of Greece. "We went in the direction that the messenger told us."

Achilles angrily watched as they neared the land, angry at the messenger for leading them in the wrong direction. He knew that Patroclus had better be all right… Then, he looked up at where the two gods were steering. "Athena, land the boat!" he commanded. "We're stopping in Greece!"

Hector was startled by his command. "Land the boat? Shall we not turn around?" he asked. "We have clearly gone in the wrong direction."

"No, Prince of Troy." Achilles answered as he turned to face the prince. "We need accurate directions to find Hattusas. We cannot go on a whim."

"And I take it that you know someone who can give us those directions?" Hector said.

Achilles grinned as he gently fingered the seashell necklace that hung around his neck.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Thetis opened the door and was shocked by who she saw looking back at her. "Achilles!" she exclaimed as she pulled him into an embrace. "What are you doing here, my son? The war is not over yet, is it?"

"No, Mother." Achilles replied as he looked back at her. "It is a long story…"

"Come on it." Thetis said, gesturing inside. "You can explain while I make tea. Who is your friend?"

"I wouldn't say _friend_, but this is the prince of Troy…" Achilles began.

"Hector. Only Hector." the prince cut in, giving her a slight bow. "It is an honor to meet you, my lady."

"The honor is mine, Prince Hector of Troy." Thetis replied, beaming. Then, she turned to her son. "Your companion is a very respectful, well-mannered young man. You could learn some things from him, Achilles."

"Mother!"

"It's true. You never were the most polite child." Thetis told him with a small smile. "Zeus willing I may still have time to positively influence Patroclus before he turns into you." She looked in the doorway behind Hector, expecting to see the youth's face brighten up as he laughed at Achilles' misfortune. But he did not.

"Where is he, Achilles?"

Achilles looked away from his mother's eyes and sighed. "I'm afraid that I've come with bad news…"

Xxxxxxxxxx

Patroclus swung his sword out at his cousin, watching as Achilles rose his own and blocked it. The great warrior pushed forward a little, the youth trying to block it to the best of his ability.

"Never hesitate." Achilles told him.

The youth had heard these words before, and he took those words to heart as he swung out at Achilles again. As he exchanged blows with his cousin, Patroclus found that he was feeling warmer than he normally did when he sparred with the great warrior.

Achilles watched his cousin carefully as he blocked one of his swings. The young warrior was beginning to slow down, his breath coming heavily as moisture began to appear on his brow. "Patroclus, are you all right?" he asked with concern.

_Patroclus nodded, swinging his sword out sloppier than he normally did. He was unsure of why his arm felt like it was going to give out on him. Why was it so hot?_

_He backed up when he saw Achilles' sword point coming at him, but then he stumbled a little over his feet. That had not happened since he had first begun training with the great warrior years ago. What was happening to him? The sun's heat had never felt so intense before…_

_Suddenly, he gasped when his head suddenly felt as if flames surrounded it, and his vision began to blur as tears began to form in his eyes. He hardly felt the hilt of his sword slip from between his fingers…_

"_Patroclus!" Achilles shouted, dropping his sword as well as he rushed toward the youth._

_Patroclus heard his name being called, but the sound only made his head throb worse. A few of the tears feel from his eyes as he closed them as he suddenly had the feeling that he was falling…_

_Achilles was horrified when he saw that Patroclus was falling toward the hard ground. The great warrior put on a burst of speed and reached his cousin, catching him in his arms before he could fall too far. "Patroclus!" he cried anxiously. "Patroclus!"_

_Patroclus felt the great warrior's arms around him, but he did not open his eyes. "Achilles…" he tried to call back. "Achilles…"_

_Why couldn't his cousin hear him?_

"_Patroclus!"_

_The youth heard his name, but why couldn't Achilles hear his? He opened his mouth to try to say his cousin's name again, but a nauseating feeling came over him as he lost hold of his consciousness…_

"_Patroclus!"_

xxxxxxxxxx

Thetis covered her mouth in horror as her face paled when Achilles was finished telling his tale. "He has been captured?" she asked in a whisper. "And you only have six days remaining to find him? What happens if you do not find him in that time?"

"Yes." Achilles answered heavily as he ran his hand through his golden hair, an action that he did only when he was stressed. "We wound up here because we were misled. I do not know what will happen to him if we don't arrive in six days. I can only presume the worst…"

"The messenger must have panicked after Achilles broke his arm." Hector added. "I do not think that he gave us the wrong directions purposefully."

"You broke a man's arm, did you?" Thetis muttered, casting a disapproving glance to her son. Achilles gave her an exasperated gesture in return, and the goddess sighed. "Arnuwandas is the new king of the Hittite people, am I correct? I will have to fine one of my maps to guide you back in the right direction. But I still have the tea going…"

"I will watch the tea for you while you look for the maps if you would like, my lady." Hector said as he got to his feet.

"Why, thank you for your kind offer, Prince Hector." Thetis replied with a smile.

Hector returned it. "Please, just call me Hector."

Thetis nodded. "All right then, Hector. Your help would be much appreciated."

The prince nodded and headed to the kitchen. The goddess watched him leave with a smile on her face, then turned to her son. "I like your friend, Achilles." Thetis told him. "As I said before, you could really learn something from him."

"Mother!" Achilles said in an exasperated way. How could his own mother like the prince of Troy, his enemy?

Thetis gave him a smile, her eyes shining as she left the room. Achilles sighed as he found himself alone. The great warrior leaned back against the chair that he was sitting in, closing his eyes as he thought about one thing.

"Patroclus… please hold on. I will be there as soon as I can. Patroclus…" 

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Achilles… Achilles…"

Paris gasped as he opened his eyes, realizing that he must have fallen asleep even though he had not wanted to. He rubbed his tired eyes as the morning light hit them, taking a deep breath as he tried to wake himself a little.

"Achilles…"

The young prince looked down on the youth before him when he heard the great warrior's name being called again, and he saw that Patroclus had pushed off both of the blankets that had once been covering him. He was stirring in his fevered sleep as he called out for his cousin.

"Please, Patroclus. Wake up." Paris muttered, placing his hand lightly on the young warrior's shoulder. "You are having a dream." 

But he did not wake. Instead, Patroclus turned away from him when he felt his touch, wincing. Paris sighed, realizing that the great warrior's cousin must have thought that he was one of the men that had captured them.

Suddenly, the prince turned his head to look over his shoulder when the loud sound of the bolt sliding out of place reached his ears and when the door that lead below deck opened. He watched as two men entered, squinting in the bright light. "We are going to be approaching Hattusas tomorrow morning." Telipinus said as he looked down on Paris. "We wanted to alert you so that you would be prepared to greet King Arnuwandas."

"Hattusas?" Paris asked. "I thought that the Hittite people had dwindled out of existence. What does your king want with us?"

The larger soldier's face darkened angrily. "Your questions will be answered when we arrive." Mursilis answered. Then, his eyes landed on Patroclus, who had calmed slightly. "He is still asleep. I will wake him…"

Paris put himself between Patroclus and the large soldier, hoping to provide some protection. "No! Let him be!" the prince begged. "He is ill…"

"Oh is he? Well, that makes all the difference." Mursilis muttered, pushing Paris out of the way as he approached Patroclus with Telipinus. The young prince of Troy watched with horror as the larger soldier grabbed onto the youth's hair and pulled him forcefully to his knees. Then, both soldiers began to land kicks on his side, stomach, and back, laughing a little as he whimpered in protest.

"_What have I done?"_ Paris thought sadly as he watched them torment Achilles' cousin with mounting fear, closing his eyes and turning away when he heard Patroclus' pained cries.

Then, the commanders dropped him back to the wooden floor, the youth curling in on himself in a small effort to try to protect himself from any more attacks that might come his way. "Get well soon, boy." Mursilis taunted with a laugh as he walked away from him. Telipinus followed, but stopped by Paris.

"We will return later to check on you." he said, kicking the prince in the side and pushing him into the side of the ship before following the larger soldier back up the stairs that led above deck. The sound of the bolt being slid back into place echoed around the small area.

Paris then moved over to Patroclus' side, his hand on his own throbbing head. "Patroclus, are you all right?" he asked anxiously. "It's all right. You are safe now."

Hearing his name, Patroclus' eyes fluttered open as he looked up at the prince. But then, he gasped and winced when his beaten body protested to the movements. The prince put his hand on the youth's shoulder to steady him.

"I am so sorry, Patroclus." Paris muttered. "I should not have told them that you were ill."

Patroclus looked back up at him, trying to give him the most reassuring smile that he could muster. "It's not your fault…" he said in a voice hardly above a whisper, tears still falling from his eyes because of the pain. "You didn't… know… what would happen…"

Paris sighed, knowing that he would have to do better at watching over the youth than he had been. "How are you feeling?" he wondered.

"As if I had been trampled by a horse." Patroclus replied with slight humor in his voice.

The prince smiled a little, but then it vanished when Patroclus began to cough. But he was pleased to hear that it wasn't as forceful as it had been the previous day. The little sleep that he had gotten must have done him some good… He set his hand on the youth's brow, seeing that his fever had at least lowered a little.

"It seems that you are doing better today." Paris commented with relief. "At least a little…"

Patroclus nodded in agreement, feeling better than he had been aside from the beating that he had just received. "Thank you for your help, Paris."

Paris smiled, trying to hide the fear that he felt about their approach to Hattusas… and trying to push back the wonder if they were going to survive.

**A/N**: Thanks for reading! As I said before, I hope that the italics show up for Patroclus' dream. If they don't… I blame the computer. Lol! Thanks again! Your reviews are much appreciated! Talk to you later!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters from the movie are mine. If they were, well, I'd be one lucky person! Lol

**A/N**: Hey, I'm sorry that I haven't updated for a while! I just got done reading the seventh Harry Potter book yesterday, and it was really good!!! Meanwhile, I'm also starting another book that I'm really getting into, so hopefully I can put that aside long enough to get another update in! Lol! Thanks for being so patient. Shoutouts to **Halo**, **blazingfire03**, **otterwarrior16**, **HospitalHorror** (hope to see more from you soon, dear!), **jimmy-barnes-13**, **Shiek2**, and **mind email** for your reviews! It seems like I'm getting some new ones, which is great! I'm glad you like this story. And to **animeodyssey15**, if you're reading this, I'm glad that we cleared up our misunderstanding. Thanks! Also, welcome back, **Halo**! I hope your trip to Denver was fun! Anyway, here's the next update! Enjoy!

Chapter VIII

"All right. So to reach Hattusas, we have to sail back to Troy and then head in this direction." Achilles muttered, running his finger across the sea on the ancient map that Thetis gave them to the left of the land of Troy until he came to another landmass. "Then, we will have to travel inland until we reach the city."

"How long do you think that it will take for us to reach it?" Hector asked as he took a sip of the still hot tea.

Achilles sighed as he slowly shook his head. "I'm not sure." the great warrior answered softly. "It will take us the same amount of time to return to Troy as it took for us to arrive here. The distance to the Hittite land from Troy looks almost double that distance, so I can predict that it will take us around two days to reach its shores. As for the journey inland to reach the capital, I couldn't tell you. Maybe a day, maybe less. All I can say is that it looks like it will almost be the end of the deadline when we reach them."

Hector nodded, sighing as he thought about Paris being trapped with the Hittite soldiers. "I only hope that we will be in time to save them."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Paris looked out through the thin window at the crashing waves as they continued to move toward the Hittite land. He had never been separated from Hector for this length of a time before, and he had never been in a situation where his brother wasn't there to get him out of harm's way. He was terrified. The young prince thought about his older brother, proud and strong. He would be coming for him, he _had_ to be. Hector would not abandon him to death's cold hand.

Patroclus watched the young prince carefully, finding it hard to believe that he was really the brother of Hector as he leaned back against the wooden side of the ship. Paris almost seemed to be fragile in comparison, and he wondered if he had ever truly fought before. The youth knew that if they wanted the slimmest chance of escaping from this situation, they would have to fight back. They couldn't just sit back and take the abuse they were receiving and hope that they would be rescued. They had to take some course of action.

"They will come for us." Paris suddenly muttered, almost to prove the statement to himself as he looked back at the other captive. "My brother and Achilles. They will come."

The great warrior's cousin merely nodded, this action covering up his true thoughts. It was clear to him now that Paris had not been involved in battle before. Patroclus, however, knew otherwise. Achilles had taught him all that he knew about his experiences of war, and he knew that ever situation did not always turn out for the better.

Sometimes, it turned out exactly opposite.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Andromache looked out of her bedroom window, staring longingly out at the sparkling sea. The room seemed bare to her now since her husband had taken most of what had previously occupied it. It just didn't feel the same anymore.

The woman took a deep breath as she rubbed her tired eyes from lack of sleep. The past night had been lonesome without Hector to share it with. She was so used to having him beside her while she slept, his gentle breathing calming her in the midst of the darkness, that she felt strange when he wasn't. Andromache had given up on trying to fall asleep and had gone to spend time with her son, who also seemed to notice that something was different in his normally secure home. It had been a long night for both of them.

Astyanax was lying comfortably against his mother's chest, looking out of the window as well. He didn't understand what was happening as his mother did, but the one thing he did know was that something was wrong. Why wasn't his father there?

Suddenly, he began to cry.

Andromache looked down on him, not knowing what could have possibly brought on his tears. She shifted him in her arms to a different position, seeing that it did nothing to calm him. She then looked out the window at the sea again, an anxious thought coming to her mind.

"_Hector… please be all right."_

Xxxxxxxxxx

The late afternoon sun began to lower in the sky. Hector sighed as he headed toward the ship. He and Achilles had spent the past few hours mapping out the fastest way to reach Hattusas with some help from Thetis. Her advice had been insightful, but Achilles was now anxious to reach the Hittite land. The prince was heading to the ship now to see if Apollo and Athena were prepared to leave.

Suddenly, he gasped and came to a stop when he heard the loud sound of a scream echo from the direction of the ship, and he hurried his pace. Something was wrong.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Athena looked out at the sea, the boat rocking gently beneath her bare feet. She sighed, worrying for the safety of Patroclus. The goddess also feared what would happen if they failed to reach the youth in time. She didn't want to see Achilles heart be broken…

Then, she glanced down at the wooden deck when the boat rocked a little more as if someone was walking on it. Athena looked behind her, seeing that Apollo had appeared on deck. Her gray eyes suddenly traveled upward when she saw a hint of movement, and she gasped when she saw a blonde-haired woman perched above him, aiming an arrow at the sun god.

"Look out, Apollo!" Athena screamed, running toward him as the arrow was loosed.

Apollo looked up at her and grunted when the Goddess of Wisdom shoved him roughly aside. "What are you doing?" he demanded as he regained his footing. Then, he gasped in horror as he watched an arrow skim Athena's arm.

"Athena, are you all right?" Apollo asked anxiously, looking at the wound on her upper arm.

"I'm fine." Athena answered, moving her hand toward the wound. "It's just a scratch…"

Apollo stopped her by gently taking her hand and lowering it. Then, he raised his other hand and hovered it over the wound. In a moment, the scratch vanished. Athena looked down on her arm and then looked back up at the sun god.

"Thank you, Apollo."

Then, both gods looked up when they heard the mysterious woman's laughter. "Pity. I missed!" she exclaimed as she jumped down from her perch, landing on the wooden deck near them. She pulled out another arrow and took careful aim.

Apollo moved in front of Athena as he pulled out his bow and an arrow of his own, aiming carefully at the golden-haired woman. She only smirked back, moving her bow slightly to make sure that her aim was true.

"You plan on killing them in that manner, Arinna? You always did prefer the more difficult ways. I think that it would be more efficient to kill them in a quick and painless manner."

"I always love a challenge, Ishtanu, you know that." Arinna answered him with a grin as she glanced at the dark-haired solar god that had appeared behind Apollo and Athena.

Ishtanu nodded as he raised his right hand. Athena turned to face him with her back to Apollo, but gasped in surprise when a forceful wind hit her and pushed her away from the sun god.

Apollo looked behind him when he heard her scream. "Athena!" he shouted.

"Don't look away!"

Apollo turned back to look at Arinna at the sound of her voice, but winced when an arrow scratched by his cheek. He opened his deep blue eyes again when he heard her laugh echoing around them, which stopped abruptly when he loosed his arrow back at her. He watched with grim satisfaction as it stuck into the goddess' upper arm, the same point where her arrow had hit Athena. He never missed his target…

Arinna angrily pulled the arrow out of her arm, not seeming to be in pain, then gasped in shock when she saw Apollo advancing toward her, now carrying a sword.

Apollo had grabbed one of the extra swords that had been left lying on the deck of the ship by one of the Myrmidon, and though it wasn't his normal weapon, it was the one he chose to resort to since his bow and arrow didn't seem to be too effective on the strange woman. He saw the initial fear in Arinna's eyes, but then he saw her grin as he watched her pull out her own blade that had been hidden at her side. She blocked the attack easily and then swung another blow at the sun god. Apollo blocked it as well, but he felt that it was kind of shaky. This was not his preferred weapon…

Athena leaned on the wooden side of the ship for a moment, but then she turned angrily to face the solar god. Ishtanu walked toward her, grinning as he raised his hand again.

But Athena was quicker this time. The goddess drew her sword and lunged at him, blade held high. Ishtanu spun around to avoid her, his concentration stopped momentarily. Athena swung her sword out, which Ishtanu easily ducked to avoid. She knew that she had to keep him distracted so that he couldn't call upon the power he had over wind again…

Hector approached the ship and silently drew his sword as he cautiously walked up the wooden ramp and stepped onto the deck. The prince was horrified to see that there were two people that he didn't recognize, one a dark-haired man and the other a golden-haired woman, fighting with Athena and Apollo. Athena was closest to him, fighting with the dark-haired man. Who were they?

Athena glanced behind her when she thought she heard someone approaching, and her eyes widened in horror when she saw the prince. "Hector, get out of here!" she told him anxiously. "Run!"

Hector heard the serious tone of her voice, and knowing that this was one fight he probably shouldn't get involved in, he nodded to show her that he understood. He sheathed his sword and headed back toward the ramp, planning on alerting Achilles and Thetis of these strangers.

But he was too late.

Ishtanu turned toward Hector's retreating figure and raised his hand.

"No!" Athena cried, trying to stop him.

But she was too late.

A strong wind started up from Ishtanu's bidding and crashed into Hector's back. It sent the prince forcefully into the wooden side of the ship and limply over the side, Hector disappearing into the rough water below.

**A/N**: Cliffie! Sorry, had to. I haven't really done a major one for a while now. Hmm… fortuneteller Astyanax. Lol! Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Hopefully, I can set down "Interview with a Vampire" long enough to get another chapter on soon. Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated. Talk to you all later!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters from Troy are mine.

**A/N**: Hey! I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter! Thanks to **Halo**, **Jubilee1234**, **jimmy-barnes-13**, and **uandme72** for your great reviews. I really appreciate them. Also, thanks to **Halo** for helping me with this chapter and helping me think of the idea for "the part", and also giving me the idea about Athena. Thank you so much! Enjoy this chapter, everyone!

**Warning**: This chapter contains a Patroclus section that is graphic and violent. If you don't like it, just skip over it. But this is one reason that this chapter is rated "T". Don't say that I didn't warn you! **Halo** and I lovingly call this "the part". Lol! So, I hope that "the part" lives up to your expectations, **Halo**!

**Dedication**: This chapter is in loving memory of Gonzo, the sister of the rat that I write with in my stories. She belonged to **Halo**, and she died yesterday evening, July 30th. I'm so sorry for your loss! Love you, Haley! I'll be here if you need me. Enjoy this chapter.

Chapter IX

"Hector!" Athena shouted in worry, running to the side of the ship and anxiously looking overboard. There was a small ripple in the water where he had hit it, but there was no sign of the prince. She looked behind her, seeing that Apollo was occupied with the golden-haired goddess, Arinna. She would have to save him herself.

Ishtanu raised his hand, preparing another wind attack. But before he could gather enough to throw at the goddess, Athena dove into the water to go after the prince. The dark-haired god stopped the attack and walked over to the edge of the ship, looking down into the water. He then turned away when he didn't see a sign of her.

Athena pushed her way down through the cold, dark water, looking for any sign of Hector. Her gray eyes narrowed in concern when she saw him a few feet below her, limply sinking down. She put on a burst of speed, reaching her hand out toward the prince. The goddess' heart sank when she missed his hand by inches the first time she tried to grab onto it, but then she felt her fingers close around his the second time. Athena pulled him up toward her, putting her arm around his waist as she swam quickly back toward the water's surface.

The goddess took a deep breath when her head appeared above the water. Hector coughed as the water left his lungs, his head lolling limply onto her shoulder. Athena began to make her way back to the ship, making sure that Hector's head stayed above the water.

Ishtanu appeared at the wooden side of the ship, and he grinned when he saw Athena and an unconscious Hector nearing him. The goddess glared up at him as she slowly came to a stop. How could she defend Hector and herself from this position? Then, and idea came to her that she wouldn't have used unless it was an emergency.

Athena closed her gray eyes, tipping her head back so that her face was directed toward the heavens above. _"Zeus… Father… please allow me the use of your power…"_ she thought desperately. Then, she opened her eyes again.

Nothing happened. Athena sighed, knowing that Zeus probably wasn't going to allow her to use his power. But Hector could die if she didn't do something… Wasn't that worth the god's time?

Then, the light from the setting sun vanished behind a mass of black storm clouds that were rolling in. Athena smiled to herself as she looked up at the sky while Ishtanu looked up at it warily. So, he had heard her after all…

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and rested in Athena's outstretched hand. Then, taking careful aim, she threw it at the solar god.

Ishtanu hardly had time to react since even he could not outrun lightning. He moved to the side as fast as he could, but he cried out when the lightning bolt skimmed his back. He dropped to the wooden deck, his eyes closed tightly in pain.

Hearing the god's cry, Arinna glanced over at him in horror. "Ishtanu!" she shouted.

"Don't look away." Apollo told her, swinging his sword out at the goddess.

Arinna looked back at him, but she cried out in pain when the blade sliced across her side. She fell back and landed on the deck next to Ishtanu, and then looked up nervously as Apollo stood over her. Athena called another lightning bolt to her hand, preparing to throw it when needed. Ishtanu looked at Arinna, and both knew that they had lost the advantage. They had been overpowered.

Then, Arinna gasped quietly when she felt a slight tugging in the back of her mind. She grinned, seeing a way out of the dangerous situation. Queen Puduhepa was calling to them.

"I hate to run," Arinna told Apollo, grabbing onto Ishtanu's arm, "but we are being summoned." Then, she jumped into the air, pulling the solar god after her, and they vanished.

Apollo watched them disappear, wondering what she had meant by "being summoned". Then, he dropped the sword and ran to the wooden side of the ship.

Athena felt the lightning bolt disappear from her hand as the sky above them returned to its pink hue, the black storm clouds vanishing along with the lightning. _"Thank you, Zeus," _she thought as she approached the ship.

Apollo leaned over the side, reaching his hand down toward the goddess as she approached the ship. Athena reached her hand up toward him, making sure that Hector's head remained above the water. She sighed in irritation when she found that she couldn't quite reach him.

Then, gentle waves started beneath her and pushed her and the prince farther up the side of the ship until her hand met the sun god's. Apollo began to pull her up when he had a firm grip on her arm, and Athena and Hector were both soon safely on the ship. The goddess gently laid the prince down on the wooden deck as her and Apollo watched the receding waves. Knowing that they weren't ordinary waves, they both silently thanked Poseidon for his assistance.

"Who were those two?" Athena asked quietly, looking up at Apollo. "They weren't gods that I have heard of."

"I don't know. I have not heard of Arinna and Ishtanu either." Apollo answered, kneeling on Hector's other side. "I just don't know…"

"Let's ask Thetis when we bring Hector to the house. She might know." Athena suggested, looking down on the unconscious Hector as she shivered in the cool air. "I just hope that Achilles isn't too upset about having to spend the night in Greece."

Xxxxxxxxxx

"It's been a while since I've seen you, Athena. Apollo." Thetis muttered as she handed the goddess a thick blanket.

"I know. We're sorry." Athena replied, gratefully accepting the blanket that was offered to her. "We've been busy as of late…"

"Well, you can still take a minute to say hello, can't you?" Thetis said, kneeling on the floor in front of the fireplace to make sure the flames kept burning strong. "I miss you when I don't hear from you."

The goddess smiled a little as she took a sip of the tea that Thetis had given her. "We'll do that from now on." Athena told her. "It will have to wait until the war is over, though. But you should know that I am keeping a good eyes on your son."

Achilles, who was sitting by the window, didn't seem to hear her words. He only continued to look out the window into the night, hardly able to distinguish the rough sea from the sky. All he knew was that he should have been on his way to Hattusas now to find Patroclus instead of waiting for Hector to regain his strength. They were losing valuable time, and he didn't want to leave his cousin in the hands of the Hittites for any longer than he had to be.

Thetis sighed as she looked away from him and moved over to Hector, who was lying on a low bed in front of her with many blankets on top of him to keep him warm. Then, she looked over at Athena, who was sitting in a chair near the fire wrapped in the blanket with Apollo standing behind her. "So, these people you mentioned, Arinna and Ishtanu. You said that they were gods?" she asked.

"Yes." Apollo answered while Athena nodded in agreement. "They had taken on a physical body like we have. We were wondering if you knew who they were."

"I have not heard of them or seen them before." Thetis muttered thoughtfully, sitting down on the edge of the low bed by Hector. "There isn't anyone under Zeus by those names. They must be Hittite gods."

At the mention of the Hittites, the great warrior looked away from the window and got to his feet. "We have to leave…" Achilles said softly, staggering toward the door. "We have to reach Hattusas… Patroclus…"

"Achilles!" Thetis exclaimed, getting to her feet and stopping her son before he could reach the door. "You can't leave now. Hector could die if you bring him out on the open sea!"

The Myrmidon leader looked back at her. "Then I'll go alone!" he told her, trying to get past. "I'm not leaving Patroclus!"

Thetis glared at him. "No you're not!" she replied sternly, placing her hands on his arms sturdily. "You're exhausted. I can see it in your eyes. Rest for tonight. That way, you'll be in better shape to save Patroclus. Please, Achilles!"

Achilles looked back at his mother for a long moment, then pulled away from her grasp. The Myrmidon leader disappeared from the room and went to his own, slamming the door behind him.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Patroclus smiled as the prince finished telling him the story of the time when he was ten years old and he had stolen his father's horse. "Hector promised me then that he would be there for me to protect me against any enemy. He said the same when I took Helen." Paris concluded, looking out of the window at the crashing waves. "He'll come for me now. And I'm sure that your cousin will too. From what you've told me, it sounds like he really cares for you."

"Yes. He cares." Patroclus replied softly, staring blankly at the wooden wall of the ship. But for one moment, one agonizing moment, the seventeen-year-old couldn't help but think that if Achilles was going to come, he would have heard something. This was the second night that he had been away. Achilles should have been coming for him…

Both captives jumped when the door leading below deck suddenly opened, and they watched apprehensively as Telipinus and Mursilis appeared. The larger soldier pushed Paris aside as the other commander knelt down next to Patroclus.

"Did you believe that you would get off lightly for killing some of our men, boy?" Telipinus asked with a small smirk.

Patroclus smirked back. "Did you not punish me enough already?" he retorted.

Fury appeared on the commander's face, but he restrained it. "Our king has a just punishment for people like you. This will ensure that you do not cause any more trouble once we arrive in Hattusas."

"_Why?"_ Patroclus thought dryly. _"What can I do in the shape I'm in?"_

Telipinus turned to the other soldier with him. "Show him what I mean, Mursilis."

Patroclus watched as the larger soldier grinned and grabbed onto his leg right above his left foot, his other hand reaching for something on his belt. The youth gasped when he saw it was his sword, and he anxiously tried to move away. His fear mounted when he realized was held in place by his foot and when Telipinus held his arms at his sides. _"They're going to cut off my foot!"_ he thought anxiously, still trying to struggle free though he knew it was useless.

But Mursilis didn't take out his sword. Instead, he pulled out a dagger, its blade long, smooth, and really sharp. He took off Patroclus' sandal and moved the dagger behind his foot.

Paris gasped. "No!" he shouted, lunging forward to try to stop him.

But Telipinus pushed him aside easily, and the prince lay dazed on the floor after he hit his head on the side of the ship.

Telipinus turned to Mursilis, still holding Patroclus down so he couldn't move around. "Hurry and do it, Mursilis!" he hissed. "We don't want this to take any more time than necessary."

Mursilis laughed a little as he laid the blade of the dagger lightly on the back of the youth's foot, the point between his ankle and his heel. Then, he began to run it back and forth.

Patroclus cried out in pain as the blade broke through his skin, tensing under the soldiers' grasps as he tried to escape, but couldn't. Telipinus' grip tightened on his arms to continue to hold him in place.

Paris watched with horror, not wanting to watch what was happening but was unable to look away as well. Though he hated it, there was nothing that he could do to help him.

Tears fell from Patroclus' eyes because of the pain as he soon gave up struggling. He tightly closed his eyes to try to stop the tears as his breathing quickened, feeling the blade sinking deeper into his tendon. He cried out again as the pain worsened.

Telipinus looked at Mursilis, rolling his eyes when he saw that the other commander was laughing. "Would you hurry and get it over with?" he asked in an exasperated way. "I'm growing tired of holding this boy down."

"Sorry." Mursilis answered, a smile still remaining on his face as he moved the blade back and forth with more force. "This should be quicker…"

Then, after a few more pain-filled moments, something snapped.

Mursilis felt the tendon in the youth's foot snap beneath the dagger, and he painfully removed the blade. Blood fell to the wooden deck, and the soldier wiped it off of his blade while he let go of Patroclus.

The pain was so excruciating that it didn't register in Patroclus' mind for a moment. Then, he screamed louder than he had before, tears falling faster from his eyes. His breath quickened again as his heart raced, a convulsion running through his body.

Telipinus let go of the golden-haired captive as well, watching as he slumped to the ground. He laughed a little when he saw that Patroclus continued to cry as he convulsed again, blood still streaming from his foot.

Paris looked at the youth in horror, knowing that he must have gone into shock from the amount of pain. He quickly took off his cape from around his soldiers and rushed to Patroclus' side, wrapping his foot as gently as he could as he tried to stop the bleeding. Patroclus whimpered at the touch, another convulsion coursing through him. The prince set his hand on his shoulder, and his heart wrenched when he saw the tears streaming from the youth's eyes.

Mursilis put his dagger back onto his belt when it was cleaned of blood, and then he walked up the stairs and disappeared above deck. But Telipinus remained, silently watching Patroclus as he continued to cry, as another convulsion went through his already beaten body.

Then, Mursilis returned, now carrying a bowl of water in his hands. "You wanted to take care of the boy, prince? Well, here's your chance!" he said, setting the bowl of water down on the wooden floor. "He could bleed to death if the bleeding isn't stopped soon. Take care!"

Telipinus laughed along with the larger soldier as they both went above deck, locking the door behind them.

Paris wasn't sure if Patroclus could really die by losing too much blood from the wound, but he knew that he couldn't afford to take any chances. He anxiously looked around, quickly grabbing onto his blanket and wetting it in the bowl of water. Then, he removed his bloodstained cloak and replaced it with the damp blanket, tying it tightly around the wound. Patroclus whimpered a little at the pressure, and Paris was horrified to see that he had lost consciousness but still suffered from another convulsion.

The prince sighed as he looked around for Patroclus' blanket and anything else that he could use to wrap his foot with. He couldn't understand how any human being could be so cruel… so heartless… He knew that Patroclus would probably never be able to walk with his left foot again.

His heart suddenly ached for Hector, not wanting to think of what would happen when his brother found them.

If these soldiers could be so cruel to this boy… what would they do to him?

Xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles gasped as his eyes shot open. His breathing quick, he looked around him at his dark room. He had fallen asleep so morning would arrive faster, but something had awoken him. The Myrmidon leader sat up, his blankets falling off of him, and he knew what it was.

There was a dull ache throbbing in his left heel that wasn't exactly painful, but enough to arouse him from sleep. Achilles looked down on his heel nervously, knowing that this kind of pain wasn't normal.

His eyes then landed on the broken seashell necklace that was lying on the small table near his bed, trying to repair it the last thing he did before he had fallen asleep. For a moment, one horrible moment, he wondered if something had happened to Patroclus…

Achilles quickly climbed out of bed when his nerves drove him to, and he wandered out into the moonlit hallway. He silently walked into the kitchen, looking into the next room.

A fire was still blazing in the fireplace, Hector still sleeping in front of it. Athena was sitting in a chair near it, a blanket draped around her as she stared into the flickering flames. Apollo stood behind her, inspecting his bow. Thetis sat on the edge of the low bed by Hector, stringing seashells together to make a necklace. They were pretty much how he had left them.

Thetis looked up when she heard a slight footstep, and she was surprised to see the great warrior entering the room. "Achilles, what are you doing awake?" she asked, setting the necklace gently down by her feet.

"What time is it?" Achilles said softly, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"About an hour before sunrise." Thetis answered, getting to her feet so that she could face her son.

Achilles looked at her, and then at Apollo and Athena. "And you have been awake the entire night?"

The goddess nodded. "Yes." Thetis replied. "We've been discussing about leaving in the morning. Is there something wrong, Achilles?" 

The Myrmidon leader sighed as he sat down in another chair near the fire. "Mother, there is a dull pain in my heel." Achilles told her, hiding the fear from his tone but not his eyes. "It's never happened before…"

"Achilles, it's normal for mortals to have some aches and pains sometimes." Athena commented. "I don't think it's anything we need to worry about."

But Thetis looked as nervous as her son felt. "Which heel?" she asked in a whisper.

Achilles sighed and gestured down to his left foot. Thetis knelt in front of him and gently placed her hands on his heel, her anxiety rising. This is what she had feared. This was Achilles' weak point…

But she knew that there was another.

"Did you sleep on it wrong?" Thetis wondered, looking up into the Myrmidon's face.

"No." Achilles told her softly. "It just began to hurt and roused me from sleep."

Thetis looked horrified as she slowly got to her feet, looking out of the window. The pain in Achilles' only weak point on his body wasn't normal. It shouldn't have hurt unless he was attacked there.

Or…

The goddess slowly turned back to her son, her worry showing through on her face. "Achilles," Thetis whispered, knowing of the warrior's other weak point, "I believe that something could have happened to Patroclus."

**A/N**: I know, kidna graphic. But I warned you. Hope you liked it! Reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of the characters from the movie, but all of the Hittites are mine.

**A/N**: Hey! I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter, though it was pretty violent. Thank you to **Halo**, **cutelildevil666**, **Ingu**, **jimmy-barnes-13**, and **otterwarrior16** for your wonderful reviews. Also, a special thank you to **spedclass** for reading and reviewing all of my chapters at once. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! A special shoutout to **Halo** for helping me shape Achilles for this chapter and also helping me with some of the ideas. As for another note, this chapter is in honor of **Halo's** twentieth birthday, which is today, August 10. Happy Birthday, Haley! I hope this is a great present! This chapter is nice and long, and also contains some things that you don't even know about! Lol! Enjoy everyone!

**Reminder**: I do not write slash stories, so anything mentioned in this story does not hint at slash. There is no slash in this story. All of the things mentioned in here are only brotherly love.

Chapter X

Achilles slowly walked down the dark hallway toward his room as he dreaded another hour of sleep, thinking about what his mother had told him.

"I believe that something could have happened to Patroclus…" 

The great warrior sighed. For the first time in his life, he hoped that Thetis was wrong. If anything happened to Patroclus, he didn't know what he would do…

Suddenly, he gasped in surprise. Achilles had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice that he had come to a stop in front of his cousin's room. His deep blue eyes traveled to his room which was across the hall down at the end, but something unknown inside of him caused him to enter the one he was standing in front of instead. Though he knew that he probably shouldn't, the great warrior knew that he had to look around… just one more time.

Achilles felt like it had been decades since he had stood in his cousin's room. He glanced around at the walls and floor, seeing that it had an empty feel to it, and he immediately knew what was missing…

Then, his eyes landed on the bed, and a smile appeared on his face when he saw that it was still unmade. Achilles laughed a little, remembering how he had told Patroclus to make his bed before they left for Troy so Thetis wouldn't have had to. He knew now that he hadn't listened to him…

Achilles slowly walked farther into the room and slowly sat down on the bed. But for one moment, one agonizing moment, the great warrior wondered what would happen if his cousin did not return from the Hittite land. Would he clean up the room himself or leave it the way it was in his memory?

Pushing the dark thoughts from his mind, the Myrmidon leader laid back against Patroclus' pillow, finding that traces of his scent still remained on it. He closed his eyes for a moment, the atmosphere of the room feeling like his cousin while giving him fresh determination to keep on going. He _would_ find Patroclus in time and bring him home safely.

Then, he felt a small lump underneath the pillow. Achilles opened his eyes as he sat up and reached under it to see what was there. What he pulled out surprised him.

It was a stuffed lion. The color of its fur had faded with age and use, the fur of its mane grown thin. Tears appeared in Achilles' eyes as he looked down on it and soon began to fall against his wishes. He had affectionately named the lion Hercules after the man he had looked up to when he was a boy since it had once belonged to him as a gift from his father. But he had given it to a young Patroclus when the Myrmidon leader had first taken him under his care. He had kept the name Hercules, though the great warrior had told him he could have changed it. The young boy had thought of changing the name at first, but then he had decided to keep it since then he and Achilles would have the same lion. Patroclus had always slept with it as a young child, often dragging it along with him when he came to Achilles for comfort after a nightmare. But when his cousin grew older, he no longer went to the Myrmidon commander for comfort. But Achilles had seen him take out Hercules and hold him as he slept if he had a nightmare. He hadn't seen the lion in the past few years, and he had wondered if his cousin had gotten rid of it. But it seemed that he had only hidden it so that the great warrior wouldn't see it. He still had it after all of these years…

Achilles forced his tears back as he lay back down on Patroclus' pillow, the scent of his cousin surrounding him as he closed his eyes again. And with Hercules still in his arms, the great warrior fell into sleep with a few tears still falling from behind his closed eyelids.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Hector slowly walked down the hall, the first light of morning faintly guiding his way. Thetis had told him which room was her son's, and now he was going to wake Achilles so that they could leave.

"_Paris…"_ the prince thought with a heavy heart as he neared the door of the room that belonged to the great warrior. Hector wasn't going to show it, but he was terrified for his brother's life. Paris had been in spots of trouble before, but this time was different. During those times, he had been there to get his brother out of trouble. But this time, Paris was beyond his reach and time was against him. He had allied himself with a cold, heartless killer to return his brother home, which is something that he never would have done in a normal situation. But he was terrified for Paris, his mind telling him many things that the Hittite soldiers were doing to his brother. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the images as he made his decision to wake Achilles.

He wouldn't let his brother suffer at the hands of the Hittites any longer than he had to.

But when Hector opened the door of the room that Thetis had told him belonged to the famed warrior, his eyes narrowed in confusion when he saw that Achilles was not inside. Wondering where the Myrmidon could be, the Trojan prince closed the door and began walking down the hall again toward the kitchen. Thetis had told him that her son was going to be getting a little more sleep before they left Greece, so where could he be?

Then, he saw that a door on his left was open just a little. Acting on an impulse, Hector lightly laid a hand on the doorknob and cautiously pushed open the door.

With a quick glance around, Hector was able to tell that this was Patroclus' room. It had a different feel to it than Achilles' room; a younger feel. Then, he saw something that he would never expect to see.

Achilles was lying asleep on the unmade bed with a stuffed lion in his arms, traces of tears visible around his closed eyes. Hector's expression softened as he watched the sleeping Myrmidon leader, knowing that this was the side of Achilles that he didn't show to every man. In fact, Hector was sure that he only showed this compassion to one person; his cousin.

"_Maybe… maybe you're not the heartless killer that I believed you to be, Achilles."_ Hector thought to himself with a small smile, shutting the door quietly so that the great warrior could sleep for a little longer.

Xxxxxxxxxx

The bright sunlight filtered into the room through the window. Achilles' eyes narrowed in his sleep as the light fell across them, and he turned his head so that his face was buried into the pillow. As he continued to sleep, the great warrior's heart raced as a familiar scent surrounded him.

Patroclus…

"Achilles!" 

The great warrior blinked against the bright sunlight and looked down, shocked at what he saw.

A young Patroclus was looking back up at him, a bright smile lighting up his features. When he saw that he had his cousin's attention, the young boy raised his arms up to show him something he was holding in his hands. "Look what I found, cousin!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "He fell out of his nest!"

_Achilles looked down into his cousin's hands, and saw with surprise that a small, baby bird rested comfortably in them. The Myrmidon then looked into Patroclus' sea blue eyes, seeing that there was compassion for the lost, helpless creature showing through in them._

"_The nest is there." Patroclus continued, gesturing to the high branches of the tree near them with his golden head. "I can't reach it from the ground, and I can't climb the tree while holding him."_

_The great warrior easily found the nest, and then looked back down on the boy. "Give him to me." Achilles muttered, extending his hands out._

_Patroclus smiled and carefully handed the baby bird to his older cousin. Making sure that the creature was secure in one hand, Achilles went to the tree and pulled himself up into the branches with the other so that he was level with the nest. Then, he gently placed the small bird into the nest, getting a grateful chirp in return._

"_Thank you, cousin!" Patroclus said brightly as the warrior got down from the tree and came back over to him._

_But Achilles didn't answer. Instead, he knelt down in front of Patroclus and looked him over, noticing that his normally warm, bright eyes now seemed cold and dim. He suddenly felt a dull ache in his heel again; the same that he had felt earlier that night. Then, Achilles pulled the boy into an embrace, the familiar scent that came from his cousin surrounding him. He held Patroclus in his arms tightly so that he could never be taken away from him again, tears falling from his deep blue eyes when his cousin didn't respond to his action._

"_Patroclus… I'm coming for you…"_

Achilles gasped as he quickly awoke, his eyes darting anxiously around the room. He sighed in frustration, wiping away some of the fresh tears that had fallen from his eyes. What did he expect to find after the dream that he had? That Patroclus would be all right and be home safely? How much of a fool he was…

The great warrior slowly sat up, disheartened that the scent of his cousin had died away once his head left the pillow. He glanced down at Hercules, still sitting on his lap and seeming to be looking up at him with round, cheerful eyes. Achilles smiled slightly, taking the lion with him as he got to his feet and let the room.

When he entered his own room, he saw that his bag was lying exactly where he had left it the previous night. Achilles knelt down beside it and carefully tucked Hercules away inside before tightly closing it again. He slung the bag over his shoulder and moved to the small table near his bed, Patroclus' broken seashell necklace still lying on top of it. The Myrmidon leader delicately picked it up, giving one more futile attempt to try to fix it before carefully putting it in his pouch. He then turned toward the doorway to leave the room, but stopped in surprise when he saw that someone was standing in it.

"Mother." Achilles muttered, his heartbeat beginning to return to its normal rate. "How long have you been standing there?"

The goddess shook her head. "Not long." Thetis answered him, walking into the room and placing her hand on the side of the warrior's golden head. "Did you have a good rest, my son?"

Achilles sighed, his eyes moving away from his mother. "I dreamt about him…"

Thetis looked at her son sadly, running her hand over the Myrmidon's cheek. The statement had been so quiet that it had hardly been audible, but the goddess could hear the emotion in it; the sadness etched into his words at the thought of losing his cousin…

"Patroclus' necklace." Thetis suddenly said, trying to distract him from his dark thoughts. "Would you like me to repair it for you?"

The great warrior met his mother's gaze once more, but then he smiled and laughed a little as he shook his head. "No. I can do it." Achilles told her. Then, his gaze faltered as his face darkened with concern. "It's time I should leave. Is Hector all right?"

"Yes. He's prepared and is waiting for you." Thetis replied. Then, she tilted her son's head down a little and kissed his brow. "Please, be careful, my son. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"I will, Mother." Achilles muttered, moving past the goddess and walking out into the hallway. "Farewell."

Thetis watched him leave, her heart growing heavy as she leaned on the small table by the bed for support. As her son got farther and farther from her, she could only hope that the two boys that she loved most in the world would return home safely to her.

Xxxxxxxxxx

The walk from the ship to the city of Hattusas was unbearable. Patroclus leaned heavily on the soldiers that held him, putting most of his weight on his right foot since he could no longer use his other.

Paris continued to glance at the youth, concern in his eyes as he looked at his heel. The bleeding had stopped over the course of the night, but the seventeen-year-old had grown weak from the amount of blood that had been lost. A blanket was still wrapped tightly around it so that it could give his foot support and hopefully keep it from bleeding again.

Telipinus led the way through the streets, which had all quickly cleared of people when they were alerted that the soldiers had returned. Mursilis walked behind him with Anittas at his side, making sure that the messenger's broken arm was wrapped securely as they went. Paris and Patroclus were being dragged along behind them, the rest of the soldiers following them. Patroclus looked around, despite the pain he was enduring. Even if he was at full strength, it seemed that there was no way of escaping…

Soon, the palace came into sight, looming over them as the golden structure glowed brightly in the light of the morning sun. Patroclus saw with dread that there was a steep, golden staircase leading up to the front doors. How he would make the climb, he didn't know.

The young Trojan prince seemed to be thinking the same thing. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the two Hittite commanders. "He would never make the climb." Paris told them, gesturing as best as he could to Patroclus. "Is there any other way inside?"

Telipinus stopped and looked at Paris warily. Then, he took a couple of steps to stand by Mursilis, whispering something in his ear. After a few moments of listening to the other commander, the larger soldier nodded and walked to the two captives.

"We want him conscious when we greet our king." Telipinus explained while Mursilis picked up Patroclus and slung him over his shoulders, holding onto his arms and legs to keep him in place. "Do not grow accustomed to this rare mercy, for you will not be shown it again."

Patroclus inwardly sighed with relief, closing his eyes while Mursilis began to carry him up the steep stairs. He knew that he would never have been able to get up the steps on his own, and he was grateful that Paris had spoken up like he had…

But now an overwhelming dread filled him with each step that Mursilis took. For now, he and the prince were at the mercy of the Hittite king.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Telipinus bowed deeply in respect with Mursilis beside him to the king that sat on his high throne before them. "My lord," the commander said as he straightened up again and gestured behind him, "we have brought the captives as you have requested. But I am afraid that we have lost some of our soldiers to a boy…"

A hint of anger could be seen on the king's face, but was quickly gone. "Bring them forward." Arnuwandas commanded.

Mursilis and Telipinus both stepped aside, a few more soldiers dragging their captives forward. Patroclus looked up at the king, seeing that he was younger than he had expected him to be. His black hair flecked with gray fell down to the small of his back, his cold gray eyes seeming to be piercing into him…

"Which one killed the soldiers?" Arnuwandas asked, looking from Patroclus to Paris and back.

"The cousin of Achilles, my lord." Telipinus answered, standing beside Patroclus. "And because of his actions, we have already carried out the just punishment that you would have ordered." He knelt down and removed the blanket from around his left foot despite Patroclus' soft whimper of pain, revealing the gash in his heel that it had been protectively covering.

A gleam appeared in the king's eyes when he saw the wound, an idea coming to him. "Good." Arnuwandas muttered, rising to his feet and walking down the couple of steps that led to the polished floor. He walked forward, approaching the two captives.

Patroclus looked away when he saw that the king had stopped before him, but he gasped in surprise when his cold hand landed on the side of his face, his head being turned to face the powerful man. "I'm in a generous mood today, boy, which is fortunate for you." Arnuwandas said softly, almost kindly. "I have an offer for you. The soldiers will release you, and if you can walk out of the palace, you're free to go."

The seventeen-year-old looked up at him in shock and horror as the king removed his hand. He could feel Paris' eyes on him, radiating the same fearful emotions that he was feeling. Then, Arnuwandas nodded to the soldiers holding the youth, and he was released.

It took a moment for Patroclus to gain his balance, but then he slowly turned toward the door. The pain was excruciating, but the youth held his cries back as he slowly began to limp forward, trying to put as little weight on his left foot as possible.

Arnuwandas watched with an amused smile on his face while Paris tried to struggle out of the hands of the soldiers holding him with no success.

The pain grew worse with each forced step, but Patroclus pushed the pain aside. All he could think of was Achilles… seeing his cousin's face again…

Then, he gasped when he saw Achilles in his mind's eye, standing in front of the door with a kind smile lighting up his face. The great warrior extended his hand out, urging for him to keep going.

This gave the youth determination, but it wasn't enough. The pain in his heel finally overcoming him, Patroclus fell to his knees, his heart pounding heavily in his chest from the effort. The sound of the soldiers' laughter echoed around him, but he tried to ignore it as tears burned in his eyes. He looked p up and saw that Achilles had lowered his arm and his smile had vanished, but he still remained by the door, his gaze penetrating…

Remembering the king's offer, Patroclus soon found the will to continue on by desperately crawling on his hands and knees to try to make it to the door. Achilles merely watched him, not offering any help or encouragement.

But soon, this task even proved to be too difficult. Patroclus felt a nauseating feeling come over him as all of his strength left him, and he collapsed to the floor. The soldiers' laughter grew, and it now filled the youth when he became unable to ignore it. He looked up desperately, hoping that the Achilles in his mind's eye would offer some sort of comfort.

But instead, Achilles looked down on him without compassion. Then, he turned his back on him and disappeared through the door of the palace, not looking back.

The tears finally fell from the seventeen-year-old's eyes as he laid his head on the floor, the sound of the soldiers' laughter still driving into him. _"I'm sorry, cousin."_ Patroclus thought as he lost hold of his consciousness. _"I'm sorry…"_

**A/N**: Happy Birthday, Haley! Now, if you all hated the king before… Lol! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters from the movie, but I do own the evil Hittites. Also, the rat, named Rizzo, belongs to **Halo**.

**A/N**: What happens when you watch "Troy" with one of your good friends at a sleepover at one in the morning? It becomes "The Epic Battle of the Abs", that's what! Long story… Basically, the plot is kinda similar, but Achilles thinks he has the tightest abs and Hector thinks he does, and only one of them can hold the title. "My abs are so tight, you could grate _cheese_ on them!" Thanks for ruining the movie for me, **Halo**! Lol! But, I still love it, which is why this story continues on. Speaking of the story… shoutouts to **Halo**, **cutelildevil666**, and** jimmy-barnes-13** for your wonderful reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter, though I do apologize in advance for its short length. The next ones will be longer! Anyway, enjoy!

**Dedication**: Part of this is in loving memory of Gonzo, the sister of Rizzo, who died recently. Rizzo is in this chapter, so Gonzo deserves mentioning!

Chapter XI

Achilles suddenly gasped, leaning forward on the wooden side of the ship, his deep blue eyes on the crashing waves as they made their way through them. His left heel had begun to throb, still a dull ache but a little more severe than before. His knuckles turned white against his tanned skin, closing his eyes for a moment as he allowed the wind to dry the sweat on his brow. Why had it happened again? It had been unusual the first time…

Patroclus…

Suddenly, the Myrmidon leader looked behind him when he heard footsteps, and he saw Hector come up the stairs from below deck. "I had to make sure that the horses were all right." he explained, setting the bag of horse food on the deck. Then, his eyes narrowed when he saw how tightly the great warrior was holding on to the wooden side. "Are you all right?"

"Fine." Achilles answered abruptly, brushing his concern aside as he let go of the wooden side of the ship. "I'm just anxious to reach Hattusas."

"As am I." Hector muttered in agreement, joining the great warrior against the ship's side. He was silent for a moment as he looked out at the crashing waves. Then, he began to laugh a little.

"What?" Achilles wondered, looking at the prince in confusion.

"Seeing these waves reminds me of a time when my brother was young." Hector explained, shaking his head a little as a smile appeared on his face. "He fell into the ocean once, and I had to dive in after to save him since he couldn't swim."

A small smile etched across Achilles' face. "Really?" he asked. "When Patroclus was a boy, he was an able swimmer. In fact, he was a better swimmer than I was. He would come up behind me and splash me, then swim away knowing that I wouldn't be able to catch him."

Hector began to laugh along with the Myrmidon leader, hardly able to imagine that a young boy could get the best of the great Achilles.

"Then, he would stay under the surface for long periods of time to worry me." Achilles continued, fondly looking out at the waves as though these were the very same ones that he was speaking of. "When I became anxious, he would come up in the most unexpected places and laugh at my concern. He would swim away of course, but he would stay in the water until he was sure that I wasn't angry with him because he knew that I could easily catch him on land."

The smile then vanished from his face as he thought about Patroclus and what he could have been going through. "But he knew that if he was in any true danger, I would be the first to come to help him."

Hector sighed as he looked out at the waves again, knowing that the same was true for Paris as well. "Let's hope he knows that you're coming for him now."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Patroclus whimpered a little as he slowly and painfully returned to consciousness. He was afraid to open his eyes, for his heel sharply throbbed with pain from his severed tendon, the haunting laughter of the soldiers echoing in his mind…

Suddenly, he realized what had awoken him. A light weight rested on the side of his head, something nibbling on his ear… Hardly able to believe what he was feeling, the youth slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was the white underside of a rat he recognized, soon seeing the dark brown fur that accompanied it as the small creature continued to nibble on his ear. Patroclus slowly raised his hand to brush the rat away, which quickly climbed down to the stone floor through his golden hair. It stopped and looked up at him curiously, sneezing softly before it disappeared into the shadows.

"I've been trying to wake you for a few hours." Paris said, watching as Patroclus realized that he was there. "It's incredible how long that rat has been following us, isn't it? I think that it has grown fond of you…"

"Where are we?" Patroclus asked weakly, slowly pushing himself up on his arms as he tried to sit up.

The prince's face darkened. "We are in the dungeon in the palace of Hattusas." Paris answered, his voice echoing off the stone-bricked walls though he was speaking softly as he helped the youth sit all the way up. "After you collapsed, they dragged us down here. We've been here for some time now. It's about late afternoon."

Patroclus sighed and leaned his head against the cool stone, tears burning in his eyes. He knew that he would not forget what had occurred when they had first arrived at the palace, if he survived this ordeal or not. Then, his thoughts traveled to his cousin, and he had to fight harder to hold his tears back. When he had seen his cousin in the throne room, he had almost seemed… disappointed that he hadn't been able to make it to the door.

Achilles…

"_Achilles… will you come for me?"_

xxxxxxxxxx

Ishtanu finished tending to the burn on his back that he had gotten from the lightning bolt that the woman named Athena had thrown at him. Queen Puduhepa had summoned him and Arinna when the soldiers had arrived in Hattusas. If it hadn't been for her, he wasn't sure what would have happened to them…

"How's your burn?"

The solar god looked up and saw that Arinna was now sitting next to him, her normally bright face now showing concern. "It's fine." Ishtanu answered with a sigh. Then, he looked up into her emerald orbs. "Who were they? We shouldn't have been defeated so easily."

"Athena and Apollo? I have never seen them before." Arinna replied. "They were gods, that much is clear. Don't be angry. We were both caught off guard by their strength. You're not the only one. But I guess the word about Achilles and Hector is true. They do have the blessings of the gods…"

"Arinna, that is not simply the blessings of the gods!" Ishtanu interrupted, clearly annoyed. "They are traveling _with_ them! They are interfering with mortal matters, and all of this is because of two boys! King Arnuwandas doesn't know how dangerous this situation is as we do."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Arinna wondered quietly, startled by the solar god's unusual outburst.

"I'm not sure yet, Arinna." Ishtanu replied with venom in his voice. "If Arnuwandas wants to get through this successfully, he will have to make the decision if he wants to rely on our power or not. But I swear, Achilles and Hector will be joining Lewani as soon as they step onto the sands of Hattusas."

**A/N**: That's a bigger threat than most of you probably know. Lewani is the Hittite god of the underworld, basically the equivalent of the Greek god Hades. So, there's your history tidbit for today. Lol! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was short. It's basically a transition chapter, because two major transitions are happening at once. But, I do promise that the next one will be longer. Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: Do I need one? I don't own any of the characters or the lines from the movie I may have used.

**A/N**: Hey, guys! Sorry I've been away for a while. I was going to have this updated yesterday, but I was literally running on two and a half hours of sleep. Not fun. Anyway, this chapter is longer than the last, but I'm afraid that I'm particularly pleased with this chapter. I hope all of you think differently! Shout outs to **Halo**, **jimmy-barnes-13**, and **cutelildevil666** for your wonderful reviews! They mean a lot, and I very much hope that you enjoy this one as well, even though I don't like it. Enjoy!

**Reminder**: There is no slash hinted in this chapter, or any other ones. Or romance. The only pairings in this story are Hector/Andromache and Paris/Helen.

Chapter XII

Athena looked out at the moon that hung majestically over the crashing waves as she helped Apollo steer the ship toward Troy. Her thoughts lingered on the strange pains Achilles felt in his heel, his only weak point, as her gray eyes landed on the sleeping warrior. Was this occurrence truly tied to Patroclus?

"Are you all right, Athena?" Apollo suddenly asked from beside her. "You seem distracted."

"I'm fine." Athena answered softly, looking back at the sun god. "I just fear for the cousin of Achilles. He's young, and we don't have any way of knowing what is being done to him. I wish there were a way that we could reach Hattusas faster."

Apollo sighed, his deep blue eyes looking out at the crashing, moonlit waves. As he watched them, he smiled as an idea suddenly came to him.

"There is a way."

Xxxxxxxxxx

"Wake up, Prince of Troy."

Hector gasped and his eyes snapped open, his hand immediately reaching for his sword hilt. He and Achilles had fallen both fallen asleep far from each other on different parts of the deck, but now the great warrior was standing next to him as he looked out at the ocean.

"What's out there?" the prince asked, lowering his hand when he saw that the Myrmidon leader wasn't reaching for his sword.

Achilles looked down on him, a small smile appearing on his face. "See for yourself, Prince of Troy."

Hector slowly got to his feet, surprised when he saw that they were nearing a long stretch of golden sand littered with many ships and even more men. These were the golden grains of his home. They were arriving in Troy.

"How have we reached here so quickly?" Hector said quietly, shaking his head. "The sun is just breaking over the horizon."

"Poseidon has blessed our voyage." Achilles told him, his eyes shining.

"Sometimes the gods can bless you in the morning and curse you in the afternoon." Hector muttered, watching as they drew nearer o the sand. "Let's hope that Poseidon's blessings will last."

From the beach of Troy, a cry rose up when the men saw that the ship was returning. Hearing that it was his name that was being said, Achilles turned to where the two gods were commanding the ship. "Athena!" he said loudly.

Athena nodded, understanding the meaning behind his one word statement. Together, her and Apollo guided the ship straight toward the sand.

"We are stopping here?" Hector asked with confusion.

Achilles nodded, scanning the beach for one man. "Yes, Prince of Troy. There is one thing left that I have to do before we leave."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Eudorus ran through the sand when he saw the ship approaching the sandy shore. He rushed up the slight hill, stopping when he saw a large group of soldiers moving around tree trunks and other wood they had found and tying them together. Odysseus stood near them, watching his plan unfolding before his eyes. This was the fourth day they had been working on the horse, so they were making a lot of progress on it.

"Odysseus!" the Myrmidon second-in-command called. "My lord Achilles has returned!"

The Ithacan king immediately looked away from the wooden structure when he heard the great warrior's name. He glanced back at the men working on the horse for a moment before he rushed over to Eudorus. "Are you certain?" Odysseus asked once he approached.

"Yes." Eudorus answered, turning back toward the ocean. "There."

Odysseus followed his gaze and watched as the ship bearing Achilles and Hector pulled up on the beach. He ran down the slight hill with Eudorus beside him, but he stopped with dread when he saw that Achilles stepped onto the sand without Patroclus.

"Achilles, I'm sorry that you've lost your cousin…" the Ithacan king began, but let his statement trail off when the great warrior stopped before them.

"If by "lost" you mean that I have not yet found him, then I accept your sympathy." Achilles replied.

Confusion was seen on both men's faces. "You mean that you have not reached Hattusas yet?" Eudorus asked. "My lord, after today, you only have three days remaining."

"I know, Eudorus." Achilles answered. "But no, we have not yet reached the Hittite land. A messenger from Hattusas misled us, and we arrived in Greece instead. But I have something that I need to tell you both. If I do not return…"

"Achilles, do not speak like this." Odysseus interrupted, his expression strained. "You will return to us with Patroclus."

The Myrmidon leader sighed as he looked at the king of Ithaca. "I wish that I could be as sure as you are, my friend, but I am afraid I cannot be." Achilles replied quietly, glancing down at his left heel before continuing. "One way or another, Patroclus will be returning. As for myself, I cannot be so certain. But if I do not return, I want you to be the head of the Myrmidon, Odysseus. They will follow your every command."

Odysseus sadly looked at the great warrior, wanting to protest to his statement about not returning. But he kept his words back as his friend turned to Eudorus.

"Eudorus, you've been a loyal friend all your life." Achilles told him. "If the three days remaining have passed and I have not returned, bring the men home."

"Aren't you coming with us if you do return?" Eudorus asked, startled.

"I have my own battle to fight if I return from Hattusas." Achilles answered quietly, glancing behind him at the many tents and looking for one in particular.

"Let me march beside you." Eudorus pressed desperately. "Let me got with you to Hattusas. Please, Achilles. I will not abandon you."

The great warrior smiled a little. "No, my friend. I don't want you to be a part of this." Achilles replied. "Gather the men and prepare them to return home, if I should return or not. This is the last order I give you." Then, he placed his hands on the sides of his second-in-command's head and kissed his brow. After looking at both men for another moment, Achilles turned around and walked back in the direction of the ship.

"Fighting for you has been my life's honor, my lord." Eudorus suddenly said, watching his leader draw farther away from him.

Achilles stopped with a sigh and turned to look at Eudorus. He gave him one last nod and then climbed the wooden ramp onto the ship. As he pulled the ramp onto the deck and as the ship pulled back out into the open ocean, Achilles turned to look back at the Trojan beach, but his face darkened when the last thing he saw was the angry eyes of Agamemnon glaring back at him.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Paris sighed as his stomach rumbled. Evening was falling quickly around the city of Hattusas, and the soldiers had not brought them any food since they had arrived. "We'll starve to death if this continues." Paris said, mainly to himself. "We haven't eaten for the past three days. How long do they think we will last?"

"Not long." Patroclus muttered, smirking a little. "If they have not given us water, we would have been dead already. At least we know that they need us for something and we are not merely just prisoners of war because they are keeping us alive."

The young prince of Troy looked back at the youth. "What would they need us for?" he asked, though he knew that his companion did not know the answer. "What does the king want with us?"

"Probably what every king wants." Patroclus answered darkly as he tried to make himself as comfortable as he could against the stone wall. "He is most likely using us as leverage for land or power."

Before Paris could reply, they both looked at the prison door when they heard the bolt slide out of place. The door opened a moment later, but it was not a soldier that entered. Instead, a woman entered with a large bag in her hand, shutting the door behind her. Patroclus looked up at her in shock, knowing that she had to be one of the most beautiful women that he had ever seen. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders, surrounding her olive-toned, youthful face. Her almond colored eyes were soft and caring as she knelt before them. The thing about her that surprised Patroclus the most was her youth. She seemed to be in between him and Achilles in age.

"Who are you?" the youth finally asked, assuming that she was a servant girl.

The woman smiled as she opened the bag and looked inside at its contents. "I am Queen Puduhepa, but you may call me by my name." she answered, pulling out a loaf of bread and breaking it in half. "Here. Eat this. It will help your strength to return."

Patroclus exchanged a shocked look with Paris. She was the _queen_ of Hattusas? She couldn't be. She was different than her husband… she was kind…

The queen then took out a few pieces of fruit and laid them down on a blanket that she had spread out before her as the two captives graciously took the bread from her. "I'm sorry for the treatment that the soldiers are giving you." Puduhepa said as she watched them begin to eat. "I do not agree with my husband's actions. He should not have taken you prisoner. You are both too young. If he would have relied on the gods, this wouldn't have to happen."

"If you don't mind my asking, Lady Puduhepa," Patroclus muttered, "what is the king trying to achieve?"

"He has not even told me the precise reasons." Puduhepa replied quietly. " All I know is that he desires the land of Troy to gain land for our empire."

"What has he gained from taking us?" Paris asked, taking a bite of the fresh fruit she had brought. "Or rather, what _will_ he gain?"

The queen sighed. "I do not know, Prince." Puduhepa answered him. "He does not confide in me, or the gods. I don't know what he plans for you, but I do know that you should not be here." A small smile lit up her face. "Now, eat. You need your strength to last these coming days."

Paris smiled and eagerly ate the food that she offered, but Patroclus merely looked at it. He wasn't really feeling hungry… The youth suddenly looked up in surprise when he felt the queen's eyes on him.

"Are you not hungry?" she wondered with concern.

"No." Patroclus replied softly, setting his piece of fruit down. "Thank you for your gracious gift though, lady Puduhepa."

Puduhepa sighed again as her eyes traveled down to her hands, which were folded in her lap. Then, she inwardly cringed when she saw the gash on the youth's left heel. The queen knew that the wound could easily get infected if it wasn't treated and kill the boy…

Seeing what she was looking at, Patroclus squirmed uncomfortably under her gaze. The queen's eyes then moved to his, and the youth could see the worry in them.

"I will come again tomorrow night." Puduhepa suddenly said, slowly getting to her feet. "Hold on for a couple of more days. I will do what I can to help you."

"Thank you." Patroclus told her while Paris nodded in agreement.

Puduhepa smiled as she slowly got to her feet, not noticing the strange look that the two captives exchanged when she turned her back on them. Then, she looked back at them one last time before she left the dungeon, sliding the bolt back into place behind her.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Telipinus entered the throne room, bowing when he approached Arnuwandas. "You called for me, my lord?" he asked.

"Yes, Telipinus." Arnuwandas answered softly. "It is time. Send the first legion of soldiers to Troy."

The commander grinned. "As you wish, my liege." Telipinus replied. "With its best defense gone, Troy will not know what hit it."

**A/N**: As I said, I don't really like this chapter, but I hope you thought otherwise. Let me know! Your reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: Nothing from "Troy" is mine and neither are the gods. The Hittites belong to **Halo **and I since she helped me think of them (though they are mentioned in the movie… once…).

**A/N**: Yay! This story isn't dead! Okay, anyway… I'm so sorry that it's taken me forever to update this! School has been hectic, I've been busy doing things outside of school, and I've had a writer's block on this chapter. But, since I have a free weekend, I decided to try to write it and… voila! I was able to finish it! I've been debating to throw Achilles and Hector into this chapter since they are merely on their way to Hattusas, but they finally won a place at the end. A HUGE thank you to **Halo **(maybe my update will inspire you to write yours!), **Pasht**, **jimmy-barnes-13**, **cutelildevil666**, and **slytherin-mafia **for reviewing the last chapter, and also special thanks to **xLonely Soldierx** and **Janiqua** for reviewing earlier chapters. Now, without further ado, here is the next chapter! I promise the next one will be more exciting. Lol! Enjoy!

**Note**: This chapter takes place over a two-day span. The first two sections take place the same night as the end of the previous chapter, while the last three sections (starting with Helen) take place the next day (well, night technically). I just don't want anyone to get confused!

Chapter XIII

Eudorus slowly walked through the sand, sighing heavily as his tent came into view. The sun's light had long since vanished on the horizon since his lord had left, but he couldn't drive the conversation that had occurred between them out of his mind. Achilles wasn't certain if he was going to return? The Myrmidon second-in-command knew that the great warrior would put his life on the line for Patroclus, but he _had_ to return to them alive… didn't he?

The warrior suddenly stopped when a feeling in the back of his mind told him that he was being followed. He looked behind him cautiously, but he didn't see anyone in the dark. Confused, Eudorus turned back around as he continued to walk, stopping again when a few of Agamemnon's soldiers approached him from all sides from the night's shadows. Then, he grunted when one of them forcefully landed a punch on his stomach, falling to his knees in the rough grains of sand. He then inhaled sharply when the men forcefully grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet, binding his hands tightly and uncomfortably behind him. Defenseless, Eudorus stumbled as he was helplessly dragged toward the tent of Agamemnon.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"My lord Arnuwandas."

Arnuwandas slowly raised his head off the pillow when he heard the quiet voice, watching as someone entered his room. "Puduhepa, where have you been all night?" he asked, sitting up in the bed. "The sun will be up soon."

"Consulting with the gods." Puduhepa answered, saying the first thing that came to her mind as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"At this hour?" Arnuwandas said, rubbing his tired eyes. "For what purpose?"

"I was… wondering if we were headed in the right direction with your plan to conquer Troy." Puduhepa replied, cringing inwardly when she realized that she could not stand up to nor question her husband. What a coward she was…

The king smiled. "Don't stress, Puduhepa." Arnuwandas told her, lying back against his pillow. "We are. I don't have to consult with any god to know that."

Puduhepa sighed when Arnuwandas turned over onto his side with his back to her, signaling that he no longer wanted to discuss the matter. The young queen slowly lay down on her pillow beside him, closing her eyes though she knew she wouldn't be resting long. As sleep overtook her, she could only hope that their two captives would survive.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Helen slowly walked down the hall, her eyes set on a door near the end. Her fear and worry for Paris had mounted over the past few days, and she had reached her breaking point. She knew that she had to speak with someone who must have dealt with a loved one who had been gone for long periods of time before. She had tried countless times throughout the day to speak with this woman, but she had decided against it each time. Now, she knew that she had to do it.

The now princess of Troy saw with surprise that the door she wanted was open, but she hesitantly stopped in the doorway before she entered. "Andromache, may I come in?" she asked quietly.

The older woman quickly looked up from Astyanax when she heard her name, but then she smiled slightly when she saw who it was. "Of course, Helen." Andromache answered, getting to her feet from where she had been sitting on the bed. "You are always welcome here."

Helen smiled in return as she entered the bedroom, stopping near her. She couldn't meet the older woman's eyes, but she could feel her gaze on her with her concern. "What's wrong, Helen?" Andromache said, setting her hands on her shoulders. "Have a seat. You don't look well."

"Has… has Hector been gone for long periods of time before?" Helen wondered once she was sitting on the bed, tears shining in her eyes. "I've been thinking about Paris, and…" She couldn't complete her thought.

"Yes, Hector has been gone for a long time before," Andromache muttered, glancing at the crib Astyanax was lying in by their feet, "and the worry I have for him each time does not cease. That's what happens when you love someone. But do not worry, Helen. With Hector, I can assure you that he will bring Paris back in no time."

Helen nodded and closed her eyes as more tears came to them, but she couldn't restrain them as they leaked out from her closed eyelids. Her shoulders shook as she began to sob.

"Oh, Helen," Andromache whispered, wrapping her arms around the younger woman as she pulled her into a comforting embrace and rocked her a little. "Everything will be all right." Her eyes traveled outside to the dark night and saw that the half moon, part of Zeus' eye, was shining in the inky backdrop.

"_Zeus… help them."_

Xxxxxxxxxx

Patroclus curiously looked at Paris from where he sat across the small, cramped dungeon from him, the prince's blank stare resting on the cold stone he was sitting on. "Do you miss her?" he suddenly asked quietly.

Paris looked up, both startled and confused by the question. "Who?"

"Helen." Patroclus told him. "Eudorus told me that this war is being fought over her since you took her from Menelaus."

The prince sighed. "Yes, I miss her." Paris said gently, getting to his feet and sitting back down beside the other captive. "I regret angering your kings and beginning this war, but I do not regret bringing Helen back to Troy. I love her."

After a moment of silence, Patroclus sighed as he remembered what his cousin always said in response to that statement. "He is not my king, nor is Agamemnon. I only obey Achilles."

The surprise about the youth's strong loyalty to his cousin that Paris felt was evident, but he didn't have time to express it before the door of the dungeon opened. The two captives watched as Queen Puduhepa entered, returning like she had promised them the night before when she had brought them food. In her hands was a small wooden bowl filled with what looked like water and a couple of rags. She knelt down before them, beginning to add fine powders and clear liquids to the water and stirring it with a stick of incense.

"If you do not mind my asking… what are you doing?" Patroclus asked curiously, watching as the water took on a light purple tinge.

Puduhepa didn't answer. She concentrated on the mixture before her as she stirred, stopping only when fumes began to rise from the bowl. She carefully picked it up and moved closer to Patroclus, putting it beneath his nose. "Breathe it in, child." she instructed. "This will help whatever ails you."

Patroclus looked at Paris nervously for a moment, unsure if he should do what the queen instructed. But at her silent urging, he sighed and deeply inhaled. The youth surprisingly found that the fumes were soothing and comforting, unable to control his heavy eyes from closing as his head dropped to his chest.

Paris gasped as the young warrior began to fall toward the hard dungeon floor, catching him in his arms before he could be harmed as Patroclus' golden head lolled limply against his shoulder. Anxiety flared in his eyes when he saw that he wasn't moving…

"Do not worry, prince." Puduhepa said as she dipped one of the rags into the liquid. "He is just in a deep sleep."

Relief swept over Paris as he looked down on the peaceful youth, watching curiously as the queen began to wrap the seventeen-year-old's injured heel. He felt a tad surprised when Patroclus didn't even stir, anticipating that the strange substance would have burned the laceration.

"This will keep the wound from becoming infected," Puduhepa explained as she wrapped the dry cloth around the first one. "It will protect him."

"Thank you." Paris said with a small smile. "I really appreciate your kindness to us."

Puduhepa gave him a warm smile in return. "You are very welcome, prince." she replied. "I truly hope that your brother and Achilles will arrive in time."

Paris watched silently as the strange queen gathered her supplies and rose to her feet, wondering what kind of medicine art she practiced. It was different from what was used in Troy.

Puduhepa softly closed the door of the dungeon behind her, sliding the wooden bar back into place before she began to walk down the damp stone hallway. What she didn't notice was the guard watching her suspiciously from the shadows of the corridor…

Xxxxxxxxxx

Hector sighed longingly as he looked up at the moon hanging over the crashing waves of the sea, the blessings of Poseidon pushing them along. He smiled when he thought of how Andromache always called the moon "Zeus' eye", for it seemed that the shimmering, almost mystical orb in the heavens was always watching over them. The elder prince fondly remembered that the very same moon had shone in the night sky the first time he had kissed Andromache. How he longed to be with her now…

The prince reached beneath his armor and pulled on a thin string, revealing a silver pendant at the end of it. It was a simple moon, but it was special to him since Paris had given it to him as a wedding present as a sort of jest about Andromache's love of the moon. His younger brother had teased him- saying that she would only love him if he wore the moon on his heart. Though he knew that that wasn't the case, Hector had still always worn it…

His eyes traveled down the length the wooden deck to where Achilles was sitting, seeing that he had fallen asleep, though he had been determined not to. The broken seashell necklace that belonged to his young cousin was still resting in his hands, and Hector smiled slightly at how devoted the great warrior was to the seventeen-year-old.

But those thoughts led to thoughts of his own brother, and worry outweighed the serenity that he had been feeling. The prince looked out at the moon hanging before him once more, tears forming in his dark eyes and his hand tightening around the moon pendant as he silently began to sob.

"Zeus… protect him…" 

**A/N**: I hope this didn't confuse any of you! If it did, go back and read the note I put before the chapter began. Hoped you enjoyed it! This is more of a transfer chapter, and the next one will be more exciting. I promise. Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything from Troy.

**A/N**: Through snow, ice, and slush, I bring you the next chapter! I'm so, so sorry for the long wait! I've been so busy with homework (even over Christmas break) so I haven't had time to update, and I also had major writer's block. But, here I am! Thanks for all of your patience. Thank you to **Halo**, **DXRULES103**, **jimmy-barnes-13**, **cutelildevil666**, **Small-Fri**, **Karategal**, **midnightshadow69**, **Lanaktty**, and **nemo123489** for your wonderful reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Warning**: Character death and some character torture.

Chapter XIV

Queen Puduhepa stood out on the stone balcony of the room she shared with Arnuwandas, watching serenely as the morning sun cast its first rays over the city of Hattusas. One more day. She knew that Patroclus and Paris only had one more day remaining where Achilles, leader of the Myrmidon, and Prince Hector of Troy could come for them. Then, in accordance with royal authority, one of the prisoners would have to die.

Suddenly, a flock of white doves flew past her and out toward the shimmering sea. Puduhepa watched their flight pattern carefully, her eyes narrowing when she received a negative message from it.

Something was going to happen soon, and she had not power to stop it.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Eudorus was thrown roughly to the ground, and he winced as he slowly pushed himself to his knees. His arm throbbed painfully in protest as he carefully moved it to support him.

"It is about time that you kneel before me, Eudorus."

The Myrmidon second-in-command quickly looked up, only to see King Agamemnon towering over him. "I would die before I knees before you!" Eudorus spat, forcing himself to his feet. "Achilles is the only one I obey."

"I'm glad you mentioned our rebellious comrade," Agamemnon said casually. "Where is he?"

Eudorus glared at him. "I do not know," he replied fiercely, wanting to hide his leader's actions. "But I would not tell you, even if I did."

Fury radiated from Agamemnon as he nodded to the soldiers that were standing behind the Myrmidon. Eudorus silently took the blows landed to his stomach and back, but he was still brought back to his knees. "Then I suppose you do not know what he is doing with Prince Hector of Troy, our sworn enemy?!" the Greek King snarled. "Tell me that!"

"He doesn't know."

Agamemnon looked up to the entrance of the tent and saw that Odysseus had entered without his knowing. He quickly pushed his way through the soldiers and helped Eudorus to his feet. "I witnessed Achilles leave. He did not say anything about where he was going."

Agamemnon carefully studied the Ithacan king, trying to tell if he was being deceitful to protect his friend. But there was no way to tell… at least, not yet. "All right. You may leave," the king told them with a wave of his hand. "Go work on that blasted horse of yours."

Odysseus nodded and led Eudorus toward the entrance of the tent, but stopped when Agamemnon cleared his throat, having one more thing to say.

"Be warned, Eudorus. If I find that you truly do know where Achilles is going, you will be tried for treason against the king… and be beheaded."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Achilles slowly opened his eyes when he felt a gentle hand shaking him. After a moment, he realized that it was Athena. "What's wrong?" he asked anxiously, believing something to be wrong.

But a smile appeared on the goddess' face. "We're here, Achilles."

The great warrior wearily looked around the area as though he was in a daze, feeling that the boat was no longer moving. He prepared to push himself to his feet, but stopped when he realized that his cousin's seashell necklace was still in his hands.

Athena followed his gaze. "Would you like me to repair that for you, Achilles?" she said. "It would not be very difficult."

Instead of giving it to her, the Myrmidon leader put it into his pouch as he got to his feet. "No. I can do it myself, Athena." Then, he walked to the edge of the ship, looking out onto the foreign beach that they had landed on. He saw that Hector had already set foot on it, preparing the horses for the journey inland.

"Are they ready, Prince of Troy?" Achilles called.

Hector looked up when he heard his name, squinting against the bright sunlight. "Yes. The horses and I wait for you," he replied. "Nothing but miles of endless sand now."

"Good." Achilles looked out at the ocean of sand intently. Though the city seemed to be a long way out of sight, the sand gave him fresh determination. Patroclus was out there somewhere. This was the final stretch. They would make it in time.

Xxxxxxxxxx

As the day wore on, so did Paris' nerves. It was nearing the night before the final, seventh day that his brother had to reach them. He would surely come, wouldn't he? What would happen to them if he and Achilles did not reach them in time?

Patroclus sat across from him, his eyes glued to the stone ceiling above them. Though he loved his cousin deeply, he felt a slight feeling of abandonment. This was nearing the end of the sixth day that he had been captured, and Achilles still had not arrived. If he truly was coming for him, he surely would not have waited this long…

Suddenly, the heavy lock on the door of the cell slid out of place, and the door opened. Patroclus and Paris slowly looked up and saw that Telipinus and Mursilis had entered. "Our king wishes to se you," the smaller of the two announced, forcefully pulling Patroclus to his feet and binding his hands tightly behind his back while Mursilis did the same with Paris. Making sure that their prisoners were secure, the two Hittite soldiers roughly dragged them out into the dark, damp hallway, slamming the cell door shut behind them.

Xxxxxxxxxx

The two young captives stood before King Arnuwandas, each held tightly by a couple of soldiers. Paris could not raise his gaze to meet the Hittite king, but Patroclus angrily met his cold eyes.

"I trust that you both know why you were brought here before me," Arnuwandas addressed them as he began to pace. "We gave your loved ones until the morning of the seventh day after your capture to come for you. It is now the eve of the sixth. If they do not arrive by sunrise tomorrow, by the laws of our country, one of you will die. All that is left now is to determine which one of you it will be."

Paris took a short, fearful breath, but Patroclus continued to hold his gaze. "What do you want with them?" he asked.

Arnuwandas stopped his pacing and looked down upon the youth in disbelief. "Is it not clear to you, boy?" he said. "I want Troy. I want to take its land for my own and restore Hattusas to its former glory! But the great warrior Achilles and Prince Hector are the only obstacles left in my way. With them gone, the city will be weak and will fall. That is why I have brought you here. You and your comrade are luring them here… to meet their ends."

The young prince failed to hide his horror, and even Patroclus let out a quiet gasp of fear. They had not been brought to the Hittite land to be exchanged for wealth or land as they had originally believed. Instead, they were being used as bait set in a trap that would lure Achilles and Hector to their deaths.

But then, the young warrior's fear melted to anger as he glared at Arnuwandas. He couldn't let this happen to Achilles, not after all that he had done for him… "If you are out for their blood, I do not see why you had us captured!" Patroclus snapped fiercely. "Why did you not go after them yourself? Instead you bring us here, and you stay behind your walls while your army slaughters them! You are no king. You are a coward!"

Paris looked over at the cousin of Achilles with both fear and admiration. He did not see how he could stand up to Arnuwandas and insult him as he had…

The Hittian king's face contorted with rage as he swiftly moved forward to stand before the seventeen-year-old. He tightly grabbed on to his golden hair and forcefully pulled his head upward while the soldiers still held onto his arms. "_You_, boy, will be the one to die," Arnuwandas whispered with venom. "If your cousin arrives in time or not, your head will be at my feet at sunrise. But for now, you will be severely flogged for your lack of courtesy!"

Patroclus winced when the king pushed his head back down, not looking at the prince beside him as Telipinus and Mursilis approached him and dragged him toward the door that led down to the dungeons. Paris watched what was happening in horror. He had to do something. He couldn't let this happen to Patroclus.

"Stop!" the prince shouted desperately, trying to pull free of the soldiers holding him. But one of them kneed him forcefully in the stomach, and Paris slumped in their arms. Winded, he was only able to watch helplessly as Patroclus continued to be led away.

"My lord Arnuwandas!"

The king's gaze traveled to the main set of double doors that led into the throne room, seeing that Puduhepa had entered. A strained expression could be seen on her face as she stood before her husband, who raised his hand to signal to Telipinus and Mursilis to stay in the room with Patroclus a bit longer.

"I beg you, do not do this," the queen said, dropping to her knees in a pleading gesture. "He is young and weak due the punishment he has already endured. If you do this, he could die!"

Instead of being swayed by her words, Arnuwandas laughed. "My dear Puduhepa. Are you certain that the reason you do not wish me to carry out this act of punishment is because you do not wish to tend to more of the boy's wounds?"

Surprise appeared on Puduhepa's face. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Spare me the theatrics, Puduhepa!" Arnuwandas snapped in answer, a mad glint in his eyes. "Do you really believe that your acts of kindness have gone unnoticed? I know that you have been sneaking into the dungeon, bringing the prisoners food and tending to their wounds behind my back. You have betrayed me!"

Puduhepa knew that this was what the flight pattern of the birds was showing her. She sighed and set her face into a determined mask. "I had to do something, "she muttered, meeting the kings' eyes as tears shone in her almond orbs. "You are taking your plan to conquer Troy too far. There was no need to take two young, innocent boys captive and then take their lives. It is not right. The gods do not approve of what you have done."

"It does not matter to me what the gods say," Arnuwandas replied icily. "I do not need them. All that matters to me is what _you_ have done, you ungrateful wretch!" Then, he nodded to a few soldiers that were standing near him.

The queen stiffened when they grabbed her arms and roughly pushed her head down onto one of the stone steps that led up to the throne. Puduhepa didn't struggle against them- she had known that this was going to happen. She silently watched as Arnuwandas slowly lifted his sword from its place on the wall, its ruby handle gleaming in the light as he approached her and raised it above her head. The queen closed her eyes, praying to the gods as the blade was brought swiftly down on her neck.

Patroclus watched her execution in horror, knowing that the same would happen to him at sunrise. He met the king's cold gaze, who smirked at him as he cleaned his blade. "Take him away."

Xxxxxxxxxx

After roughly being dragged down to the damp dungeons, the seventeen-year-old was brought into a small, stone room. Mursilis removed Patroclus' tunic and roughly tied his hands above him to a metal hook hanging from the low ceiling. The youth watched nervously as Telipinus entered with a long, thing whip and handed it to the larger soldier.

"How many lashes?" Mursilis asked with an excited gleam in his eye.

"He didn't say," Telipinus answered with a smirk. "Do as many as it takes until he can no longer stand, but make sure he stays alive."

Mursilis grinned, turning to face the youth. "My pleasure." Patroclus' breathing quickened as he waited for the pain to come, one last glimmer of hope in his heart that Achilles would not abandon him to death's cold hand.

Then, Patroclus cried out in pain as the whip cut into his back for the first time, tears forming in his eyes as that hope disappeared. Another scream echoed throughout the room as his back was struck again, and the youth felt weaker and weaker with each lash. Each sharp pain brought him out of his hopes that Achilles would come for him, bringing him back to reality. As he finally lost the battle with holding onto his consciousness, he knew that his cousin would not be coming.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Paris sat in the cell nervously, dreading what was happening to the youth he had begun to consider a friend. He could hear his cries of pain from the next room and knew that he was dealing with much worse that what he was. The prince had been victim to Arnuwandas' soldiers' spiteful acts after the seventeen-year-old had been taken out of the throne room, but cuts and bruises seemed to be nothing in comparison to what Patroclus was enduring…

Then, the door to the cell opened and a limp Patroclus was roughly thrown in, the back of his tunic blood-soaked. Paris saw with alarm that he was unconscious, and he hesitantly began to move toward him. He stopped momentarily when his side burned angrily in protest. Maybe the injuries that he had received were a bit more severe than he had thought.

The prince gasped in surprise when a soft squeaking sound reached his ears. Paris watched in disbelief as the small rat he had seen before, he would recognize the dark brown fur and the white underside anywhere, come running over to the unmoving form of Patroclus. He expected the creature to begin nibbling on his ear as it had always done, but this time was different. The rat climbed up on Patroclus' chest and crawled over to his neck, beginning to lick his cheek as if it was kissing him. After a moment, Patroclus groaned and slowly opened his eyes, surprised to see the rat.

Paris laughed a little, the action hurting his bruised side. "I know it's not the same as a beautiful woman, but…" he muttered in a jesting manner.

But Patroclus did not laugh along with him. He struggled to sit up, holding the rat so it wouldn't fall to the stone floor. He finally made it, fighting to hold back tears. Moving had made the burning throb on his back almost unbearable, and he wished that he hadn't left the painless world of unconsciousness.

The prince recognized the pained look in his eyes, and he sighed. "Hector and Achilles will arrive soon, Patroclus," he said. "We'll be out of here before we know it."

The seventeen-year-old slowly shook his head. "No. They cannot come," he replied impassively. "Remember what the king told us before? When they arrive, they will be killed. I would rather die than witness my cousin being slaughtered."

"They are stronger than the Hittites believe," Paris pressed. "I know they will be all right if-!"

"They are not coming, Paris!" Patroclus shouted angrily, interrupting him. "Don't you understand? In a couple of hours, it will be the seventh day of our capture, and I am going to die. They have had six suns already. If they were coming, they would have been here by now." He turned away from the prince, a single tear falling from his eyes.

"I'm sorry…"

Paris sighed. "I know," he muttered, seeing that the injuries the youth had received were constantly wearing him down. "But… at least you will be put out of your misery in a couple of hours."

Patroclus nodded. He did not want to die, but thoughts of Achilles put his anxious mind at rest. He would see his cousin again one die in another life, but he wished that he had been able to see him one last time.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"_It does not matter to me what the gods say. I do not need them."_

"Those were his very words," Arinna told the solar god. "He wants nothing to do with us."

"What else did you witness?" Ishtanu asked, his calm, smooth voice laced with anger.

Arinna's eyes darkened with sorrow. "He will execute a seventeen-year-old boy, the young cousin of Achilles, at sunrise," she answered quietly. "This isn't right. We must do something, Ishtanu."

Ishtanu was impassive to her statement. "He does not serve us, we will not serve him," he finally muttered. "We will see how Arnuwandas fares in this upcoming battle on his own without help from us. For now, warn our approaching visitors of the events. We shall see how the king handles the wrath of Achilles."

**A/N**: I hoped you enjoyed it! Again, I'm sorry for the long wait. Thanks for reading. Your reviews are much appreciated. Thank you!


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